Take a Chance
by Pirotess666
Summary: Ten years into the future. Ryota and Ayako are getting married. Sakuragi returns to Japan for the wedding and sparks fly when he sees Rukawa again. YAOI fanfic.
1. Chapter 1

Genre: Romance/Yaoi/Ecchi

Rating: M

Warnings: 1. This is an yaoi story. For those who don't know what it is, it involves a romance between two males. Search wikipedia for a more detailed description. 2. The story involves graphic content and very sexual situations. And I mean VERY. SEXUAL. SITUATIONS. BETWEEN TWO MEN. 3. Some of these characters have a very OOC behaviour. Some personalities might have benn changed.

Reviews: Reviews are appreciated. Be nice. I already warned about you the type of content this fanfic involves, so no flames.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I just like to "play" with them. hehehe


	2. Chapter 2

Sakuragi looked at the invitation in his hand. Ayako and Ryota were finally getting married. He grinned. Alleluia! After more than a decade pursuing her, Ryo-chin had finally done it! It was going to be in early July so he could take a month vacation to stay with his friends. Although he kept in touch with all of them, it was five years since the last time he'd been in Japan. He missed them.

'Daddy? Why are you grinning like a maniac?'

He turned towards his daughter who was like a copy of him in the feminine. If she ended up as tall as he was, she was going to be spitting mad at him.

'Friends of mine in Japan are getting married.'

'Oh!' She went to him and peered at the invitation. 'That's Japanese. Are they from the Shohoku team?'

'Yup.' He grinned again. 'I'm thinking of going there for a whole month.'

'And what about me?' She crossed her arms in front of her chest and began tapping her foot.

He crouched in front of her. 'Wanna see Japan?'

Her eyes sparked. 'Really?! Can I?'

'I have to talk to Carol first but I think you can spend at least two weeks there with me.' He grinned. 'I can't wait to see them. It's been nearly five years now.'

'You've got the maniac grin again.' She shook her head. 'You're going to get into trouble aren't you?'

He laughed and pulled her to him, getting up while holding her with one arm. 'Yohei will probably join me so it's fine. He'll keep me out of trouble.'

'Yeah right. Uncle Yohei likes to get into trouble with you. He drives Mom nuts.'

'He likes driving your Mom nuts.'

She sighed. 'It would have been so much fun if she'd married him instead of that boring old man.'

'He makes her very happy.'

'Yeah…' She grinned. 'And it's also very good that he's filthy rich.'

He laughed. 'You little mercenary!'

'No worse than you. Now put me down.' She huffed. 'I'm getting too big for you to do this anymore.'

'No matter how big you get you'll always be my baby.'

She grinned hugging him and he put her down. Sakuragi rubbed his hands. 'So…shall we go for Japanese tonight?'

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Sakuragi exited the hotel he was staying in and grinned when he saw Ryota waving at him. 'Ryo-chin!'

'Hey man! It's nice seeing you again.'

He looked him up and down. 'Hum…Ayako is fattening you up.'

'Shut up!' He blushed a bright red. 'Not everyone is a professional basketball player.'

He laughed. 'Something tells me you don't regret it.' He nudged him a bit. 'So? How did you finally convinced her to marry you?'

He shrugged. 'She got jealous when she saw another woman hitting on me.'

'That's so mean Ryota!'

He grinned. 'Come on. Everyone is waiting at Uozumi's restaurant.'

Sakuragi rubbed his hands. 'I miss Japanese food made in Japan. Let's go!'

Ryota sweat dropped. 'You still eat as much as you used to?'

'More.'

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Sakuragi was smiling looking at everyone sitting around the table and eating. It was good to be back. Out of everyone only he, Akagi and Rukawa had become professional basketball players. All the others had carried on with their lives. And apparently both Akagi and Rukawa were very popular in Japan. Akagi had never left to try his luck in other countries and Rukawa…he went to the USA at the end of their second year in high school, after Shohoku became the National champion but two years later he came back to Japan and never left again. For his part, after graduating high school, Sakuragi also went to the USA but unlike Rukawa he became a legend there. Everybody loved him. Americans loved flashy personalities and he was certainly that. While in Japan he never had a chance when it came to girls, in America he had too many of them. He grinned. His daughter was the living proof of that. He started a relationship a month after arriving in America and in another he found out that he was going to be a father. Of course, he nearly had a heart attack then. But it gave him a new determination to make it to the top. Even though he and Carol never married and only stayed together for a year, she always supported and helped him. Even today, ten years later, they were best friends.

Mitsui elbowed him. 'You're awfully quiet Sakuragi.'

'Just watching you guys. It's been too long.'

'Yeah. It's nice to see everyone again.'

He grinned. 'I heard that your last girlfriend ditched you in a very public manner.'

Mitsui blushed. 'What?! Who told you that?'

'Not only was I told, but they sent me pictures as well.' He grinned. 'What possessed you to grab her in public?'

'I was drunk!'

'Not an excuse.'

'Shut up! I don't wanna talk about it.'

Sakuragi laughed out loud.

Mitsui grumbled. 'You still have the same laugh as when you were 15 years old.'

He grinned and then frowned. A tall man with black hair, skin like porcelain and cold blue eyes approached them. 'You guys invited Rukawa?!'

Akagi smirked. 'What? He was part of the team.'

He growled. 'I still can't stand him.'

Ryota leaned to him. 'You also like men.'

'Not like him!' He leaned to Ryota and hovered very near his face. 'Are you proposing?'

'Hell no!' He immediately sat back and grinned. 'Besides Aya-chan would kill us.'

Sakuragi shuddered. 'Yeah…in a very slow and painful manner.'

'…' Rukawa sat across from Sakuragi.

'Great. Now my appetite is ruined.'

Rukawa looked at him in his very unemotional manner. 'You still have red hair.'

'So what? It's my mother's hair color and my daughter's too.' He grinned. 'Family legacy hahaha.'

'Do'ahou.'

Shocking everyone he just grinned. 'Hey, my hair gets me constantly laid. Can you say the same?' The newspapers loved writing about him and the so called flavor of the month…be it male or female.

'How is it possible that your career didn't end when people found out you're a homo?'

'Bi…I'm bi. And people love me. Besides, it helps that I'm totally gorgeous.'

'…'

He just grinned and turned towards Ryota. 'So…what do you have planned for me? I'm gonna keep you guys company for a whole month, I gotta do something.'

'We could meet up with Sendoh and Maki and have several games...and you can also help with the planning of the wedding.'

'So the tensai can teach you how to play basketball and plan a wedding?'

'After more than 10 years you still call yourself a tensai?!'

'Hum…You're right. I should just call myself a God hahahaha.'

'Do'ahou…I can't believe you still have the same laugh.'

'The secret to my youth you damned fox.' He grinned. 'Well as long as I can play against you, I'm game.'

He sighed. 'I'm not playing anymore.'

Everybody looked at him. 'What?!'

He shrugged. 'I decided not to renew my contract this year and quit basketball. I'm going to become a coach.'

'Are you serious?' Sakuragi was in shock. Rukawa quitting basketball?! Next thing you knew the world would end. 'But you love basketball.'

He shrugged. 'I'm tired. There's nothing new about it for me…and I have enough money not to need to work ever again.' He took a swallow of sake. 'I prefer to just teach kids.'

Sakuragi narrowed his eyes at him. 'The kids will end up traumatized if you teach them.' Rukawa gave him a cold look and he grinned. 'Unless you're teaching girls. You'd have plenty of students but no one would learn anything.'

'…'

'Mr. Cool Guy…no wonder America didn't like you.' He frowned when Rukawa paled and almost looked sick. What in hell was that reaction?

Rukawa looked at his glass full of sake and took a big swallow.

Mitsui lifted an eyebrow. 'Whoa, take it easy Rukawa. The night is still young.'

He took the bottle of sake and filled his glass. 'I feel like getting drunk.'

Everyone's jaw dropped.

Sakuragi leaned towards Ryota. 'Oy…is that guy alright?'

'I have no idea. We don't speak much. He comes when we have our yearly get together but other than that…we never see or talk to him.'

For the rest of the night Sakuragi and the others laughed and joked feeling good about meeting each other again. Rukawa just drank and watched them until Akagi finally snapped. 'What the hell is wrong with you?! You're just there watching us, not even saying anything and drinking like crazy.'

Ryota frowned. 'Yeah…it's creepy.'

'I've never been loud unlike some people we know.'

Sakuragi leaned over the table until he was very near Rukawa's face. 'Are you drunk?' He sniffed. 'You smell drunk.'

'Not yet…almost there.'

'Weird…definitely weird.' He leaned back. 'Is it because you're giving up basketball?'

'Not your business Do'ahou.'

He shrugged. 'Fine. Not interested anyway.'

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'What are we gonna do with him?'

Akagi shook his head. 'We don't know where he lives and I can't take him home with me. My wife would have an attack if she knew we were drinking so much.'

Sakuragi laughed. 'You're really whipped aren't you?'

He lifted an eyebrow. 'Jealous?'

'Yeah…' He smiled when Akagi blinked at him. 'I think it's nice to have someone who loves us waiting back home.'

'Well…what would you know? You grew up.'

'Hahaha not much though.'

'Huhgh.'

Sakuragi blinked at the incoherent Rukawa. 'So? What about him? No one knows his address so one of you will have to offer him a bed tonight.'

Mitsui lifted his hands. 'No way. He'd steal my girlfriend even if he didn't want to.'

'Your girlfriend broke up with you.'

He grinned. 'I got a new one.'

He sighed. 'Ryo-chin?'

'I'm with Aya-chan. You think I'm gonna let him sleep under the same roof as my fiancé?!'

'Hum…then what?'

'What about you?'

'What?! Are you crazy? Maybe marriage isn't good for you!'

'Oh come on…it's just for one night.'

'No! I won't resist killing him and then I'll go to prison and I won't be around to stop bastards from sniffing around my daughter. No way!'

'Then don't kill him. Besides you're Sakuragi Hanamichi. The hotel won't mind if you have a guest.'

He sighed. 'If there are paparazzi waiting for me at the hotel, Rukawa is going to be called my flavor of the month. You do realize that? He could kiss goodbye to his career.'

'He already said goodbye to it.'

'But he's going to teach kids. This isn't America. People are going to object.'

'Yohei spends lots of nights at your house and I've never heard any speculation about it.'

'That's because if say there's nothing between us, people believe me. I don't have a problem telling who my lover is.'

'Well…why don't you do the same here? Besides you're staying at a really pricey hotel who bars the entry to paparazzi. I doubt there's going to be any problem regarding that. And this is Japan. Paparazzi are a rarity here.'

He blinked at them and then sighed. 'Fine. But you guys have to help me carry him to my room.'

Mitsui grinned. 'If all of us are seen going into your room with an unconscious man in our arms, everyone will think we're having an orgy.'

'Like hell!' Ryota took a step back. 'Aya-chan would kill me.'

Sakuragi grinned. 'Actually, I think she would love it. She would be mad because you didn't ask her to watch.'

'I can't believe you just said that.'

Sakuragi laughed and they all got up from the table. Rukawa remained seated. 'Shit. We have to carry him.'

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Sakuragi got out of the cab with Rukawa in his arms followed by Mitsui and Ryota. Akagi had gone back to his home.

'How in hell can you carry him like that? That guy must weight nearly 80kg!'

'Be awed by my powerful physique hahahaha'.

They went to the reception and the concierge gapped at him.

'My friend is drunk off his ass. He's gonna spend the night with me. Give the keys to him.' He nodded towards Ryota. 'They're gonna help me with him and then they'll leave.'

The man's lips twitched. 'Hum…yes Sir.'

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Mitsui was laughing. 'That guy was trying really hard not to laugh. With you carrying a big man as if he was a princess it's even more hilarious.'

'Shut up! Now help me with this damn door so we can put him to bed.'

Mitsui opened the door and gapped at the interior. 'Wow…you really are filthy rich.'

He grinned. 'Jealousy is such an ugly thing Mit-chi.'

The hotel room had a spacious living room and a small kitchen and a room with a big bathroom.'

'Where are you going to put him?'

He frowned. 'Well, he's not gonna sleep with me.' He went to the couch and dropped him there. 'He's fine here. Just let me take off his shoes and jacket.'

He did that in less of a minute.

'Wow…' Ryota smirked. 'Lots of experience undressing guys huh?'

'Are you by any chance curious Ryo-chin?'

'Nope.' He grinned. 'When do you plan to move to our house?'

'The day after tomorrow…maybe.'

'Ok.'

'Well, see you tomorrow man.'

Sakuragi went to him and hugged him. Then he did the same to Mitsui. 'See you tomorrow guys. We'll meet after breakfast 'kay? Maybe at 10?'

'Yeah see you.'

Mitsui closed the door behind him and hugged his ribs. 'I think he cracked some of my ribs.'

'Mine too. How in hell can he bed women without breaking them?!'

'Damn idiot always had too much power.'

Ryota grinned. 'Yeah…but it's really good to see him again.'

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Sakuragi looked at the sleeping Rukawa on his couch. He sighed. This was not how he expected to end his evening.

He opened the door to his room and looked back at the couch. He could see it perfectly from where he was. And Rukawa didn't move a muscle not even to get out of the uncomfortable position he was in.

He shrugged and kicked off his shoes, then he pulled his shirt off and took off his pants. He was about to take off his underwear and he felt the airs on his neck rise. He turned and found Rukawa looking at him.

'You're awake?'

Rukawa tried to sit and held his head. 'Where am I?'

'In my hotel room.' He smiled. 'Hey can you go home?'

'Huhm?...' He began tipping to the side and Sakurai had to straighten him.

'Well…I guess not.' He sighed. 'I'm going to take a shower. You can take one after me.'

'Fine.' He looked him up and down. 'You're naked.'

He blinked. 'Nearly there.' It was just weird that Rukawa said that.

'You look nice.'

Now his jaw dropped. 'Okay. I did not hear that. Not from him.' He looked up. 'NEVER from him.' The other man continued to look at him so Sakuragi just turned him around and laid him down again. 'Sleep. We'll talk tomorrow.'

'…'

Sakuragi quickly went to his room and decided to take a bath in the morning.

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Sakuragi left his room wearing just a robe, his hair still wet from the shower he had just taken. Rukawa was still sleeping on his couch.

He called the reception and ordered breakfast for the two of them. Just weird. Having breakfast with Rukawa. Weird and…creepy.

After breakfast arrived, he went to Rukawa and shook him. 'Hey wake up.'

'….'

He shook him more violently. 'I said wake up you lazy ass!'

Rukawa opened his eyes with a fierce scowl. 'How dare you wake me?'

He lifted an eyebrow. 'Still with that?' He shrugged. 'Some things never change. Let's eat breakfast so you can leave.'

'Hum…what?' Rukawa looked around him. Where the hell was he?! Then he looked Sakuragi over and stilled. The red haired man was wearing only a robe, his hair still wet. He looked down on himself and sighed in relief when he confirmed his clothes were still in place. When he looked at Sakuragi, he found him grinning. 'What?'

'Afraid I'd ravished you? Hahahaha You're not my type Rukawa.'

He cocked his head to the side. 'What is your type?'

He blinked. 'Hum…why do you want to know?'

'Curiosity.'

'Well…I like them slender and cute.'

'Basicaly you like women with a flat chest and a small dick.'

'I can't believe you just said that.'

'Am I wrong?'

'I've dated macho guys.'

'…'

'I think I have…' He frowned. 'I'm sure of it…' He huffed when Rukawa continued to look at him without saying anything. 'Forget it! It's none of your business anyway!'

He relaxed. 'Yeah yeah.' One thing he was sure. Sakuragi would never force a person…and would never abuse him if he was unconscious. He got up and the room whirled for a second. 'Whoa…' He sat back down again.

Sakuragi just shook his head. 'What the hell possessed you to drink so much?' He went to him. 'Come on. You have to have breakfast so you can leave.'

Rukawa gasped when Sakuragi lifted him in his arms. In a second he was seated at the table before he could even form a reaction. He narrowed his eyes. 'Was I carried yesterday?'

'Yeah.'

'By whom?'

'Me.'

'How?'

'What do you mean?'

'Did you carry me like just now?'

'Yeah.'

Rukawa closed his eyes. _No way in hell_. 'Did anyone see you do that?'

'Yeah.'

Sakuragi being Sakuragi would never be embarrassed to do that. He moaned. 'I'm never drinking again.'

'Now you're regretting it?'

'Just pass me the coffee.'

He did that. 'So…the guys said you've never married. Why? Too many girls to choose from?'

He snorted. 'Right. I can say the same about you. Flavor of the month right?'

He shrugged. 'The damned journalists can't see me with someone without speculating. But they're much nicer to me than other celebrities.'

'That's because you tell them everything.' He took a bite on his croissant. 'Did any journalist see you carrying me?'

'Nah man. This is Japan. The guys were right. I was worried about paparazzi but they don't care about me here.'

'Oh right.'

'Which school do you plan to teach?'

'Shohoku. Coach Anzai is retiring this year.'

'That's really cool. I talk to him a lot on the phone and most of the times we discuss my games. He's still the best coach I've ever met. I always invite him and his wife to our most important games. He comes at least once a year, usually twice.' He smiled. 'I miss the old times. Things were fun and pretty simple.' He leaned towards him. 'Hey, do you know how Haruko is? I didn't want to ask yesterday because Gori was there.'

He lifted an eyebrow. 'Still not over her?'

He shrugged. 'She was the one that got away.'

'I don't know how she is. I very rarely speak with the guys.'

'Why? I'm in another continent and I speak pretty frequently with them all. Even Sendoh and Maki.'

'You've always been more social than me.'

'Yeah…that's true.' He blinked at him. 'You know, I think this is the first time we've had a conversation without breaking into a fight.'

'Breakfast isn't over yet.'

He grinned. 'I guess not.'

When they finished Sakuragi got up. 'I'm going to get dressed. We can call a cab for you at the reception.'

'Fine.' He grabbed his robe and pulled at it a bit. 'Sakuragi I want to thank…' The robe parted in his hands showing golden skin unbroken by a tan line. His eyes could not stop travelling over the exposed skin. He actually had to refrain himself from pulling the robe open even more. He could see the side of his ass cheek but because he was turned he couldn't see him full front. This had to be the most beautiful male body he had ever seen.

'I know I'm gorgeous. Now can you stop ogling me?!'

Found out ogling Sakuragi Hanamichi. What the hell was he doing?! This had to be the most embarrassing moment of his life. 'Hell…I guess I'm still a bit drunk.' He let him go.

Sakuragi snorted while he pulled his robe closed. 'Right…blame it on the booze.'

'What is that supposed to mean?!'

He shrugged. 'You ogled me last night too.' And he closed the door to his room so he could get dressed.

_Shit…last night too?!_ The way the other man smirked it had to be true. _But he still looks so good. I wonder how he tastes…_A sudden blush bloomed on his face. _Hell…I can't think about that!_

Sakuragi left his room to find Rukawa totally blushed. He grinned while he pulled on his t-shirt. He had never before seen Rukawa blush. 'I never thought I would live to see the day when you would blush like a maiden.'

'Do'ahou.'

'Huh huh…'

'Did I really ogle you last night?'

He blinked. 'Yeah…and you said I looked good naked.'

'Naked?! Why in hell were you naked?!'

'I was in my underwear.' He grinned. 'Like I said before, you're not my type.'

'I'm everyone's type.'

Sakuragi could not believe that Rukawa just said that. One thing that guy had never cared about was his looks or fans. He had always been completely indifferent to them. 'I guess you're right when it comes to the Japanese. I guess America didn't like you as much.'

He paled a bit. '…'

'Why do you always pale when I speak about the USA?'

'No reason.'

'Yeah right.' He grinned. 'Was it because you didn't make it there and I did? I'm like a legend!'

'Anyone ever tried to mess with you?'

'Yeah.' He shrugged. 'In my first team, my teammates were very…aggressive. They stripped me naked and tied me up in the parking lot, next to the stadium so that everyone could see me.'

He blinked. 'What happened?'

He grinned. 'I met my first girlfriend and had a daughter…and I beat them to a pulp and tied them naked in the parking lot. All 11 of them.' He shrugged. 'No one ever bothered me again.'

'Lucky nothing happened to you while you were naked.'

'Hahaha…you'd think that. Carol coped quite a few feels. That woman always was very…' He looked at Rukawa. 'Haa…well you know what I mean. Nothing like a woman who knows what she wants neh?'

'What do you prefer? Men or women?'

He blinked. 'Women. I like men but not for a long relationships.' He grinned. 'Women are more fun.'

He shook his head. 'Hentai.'

'Hahahaha just a little bit.'

'I need to take a shower.'

'Sure. I can lend you a t-shirt.'

'I also need underwear.'

He shivered. 'I think it would be too weird for you to wear my underwear.'

'It's just underwear. But it's fine. I can go commando.'

Sakuragi gaped. 'You? Go commando?!' He laughed. 'I don't think so.'

'Yeah. I'll just go home and change. Call me when you set the game with the others. I'd like to play too.'

'Sure. Give me your number.'

They exchanged numbers. 'What about Yohei and the others? Are they coming?'

'Yeah. I'm gonna meet them tomorrow. Yohei will come in two weeks' time with Mars.'

'Who?'

'My daughter, Marissa. She's gonna spend the rest of the month here with me.' He grinned. 'She heard so many stories about you guys that she can't wait to meet you.'

'I see.'

He cocked his head to the side. 'Do you have a girlfriend?'

'No.'

'But do you want to? I mean, we're 28 years old. About time you start thinking about family.'

'What about you?'

'I have Mars, but I think I'd like to marry and have more kids.' He grinned. 'I'm good at being a father.'

'…'

Sakuragi just laughed at his cold reaction. 'Just wait until you meet her. She's gonna blow you away.'

'Maybe she takes after her mother.'

'Both actually. She took the best out of each of us.' He grinned. 'Can't you take a girl from that legion of fans you have?'

'…'

'What?'

'I don't care about hysteric girls.'

He shook his head. 'You're the idiot. You could have had Haruko but you just ignored her. She really liked you.'

He got up, felt the room sway a bit and grabbed the table. 'Nah…she liked my basketball skills. You're the one she ended up liking.'

'What?!'

'She was your friend before she noticed your basketball skills. Me, she was never my friend.'

'Well…she's married now so it's too late. Although I think the marriage isn't going well.' He growled. 'The guy must be a creep.'

Rukawa shrugged. 'I guess.'

'Well then, let's go.'

'…'

'What's wrong now?'

'The room is still swaying.'

He blinked. 'You're kidding? You're still drunk?'

'No…just feeling the effects. I can usually hold my liquor really well.' He shrugged. 'I guess I exaggerated last night.'

He snorted. 'You can say that. And you're a dull drunk. You just drank until you passed out. Not a single laugh!'

'At least I didn't embarrass myself.'

Sakuragi went to him and pulled one of his arms over his shoulder. Electricity ran between them like it always did. Rukawa lifted an eyebrow. 'That's not comfortable. You're taller than me.'

'Not by much. Just 10 centimeters, right?'

'Yeah. You continued to grow.'

He smirked. 'You almost grumbled that.'

'…'

'Come on. Let's go.' He sniffed. 'You really do need to take a bath. The odor of Saké is definitely present.'

'Oh shut up. I wanted to take a bath here. You were the one who didn't want to lend me clothes.'

'Not clothes. Underwear.'

They began walking towards the door. 'Hum…I think I can walk by myself.' He let go of Sakuragi and wobbled a bit. The red haired man held his upper arm, stabling him. 'I'm almost there.'

'Almost.' He grinned. 'Well at least I don't have to half carry you.'

'I'm definitely not drinking anymore. You complain too much.'

'Oh really? If I was the one drunk to the point of unconsciousness, would you have offered me your home and carried me there?'

'Huh…I don't know.'

'See? I'm right.'

They reached the lobby and went towards the reception. 'Can you call a cab for my friend here?'

'Yes sir.'

'Also, arrange for a rental car for me.'

'Yes sir.'

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Sakuragi went with Rukawa to the taxi. 'Well…I'll call you when we set a date for the game.'

'Ok.'

He watched the taxi leave and then called one for himself to meet up with the rest of the guys.

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Ryota grinned at him. 'So…did you kill Rukawa?'

Mitsui joined in. 'Or maybe you ravished him during his sleep?'

'No and no.' He sat next to them looking at the basketball court in front of them. 'I wouldn't ravish anyone while they're unconscious. I like partners pretty active in bed.' He frowned. 'Is Rukawa gay?'

Akagi gapped at him. 'You're interested?'

'No.'

'Then why would you ask that?'

'It's just that…last night he just…some things he said and did…he blamed it on the liquor but I don't think so.'

Mitsui chuckled. 'Nah…even if he did like men, he wouldn't go for you.'

'Probably…'

Akagi frowned. He was serious. 'Even if he is, if he never told us it's because he doesn't want people to know.'

Ryota nodded. 'Yeah, let's give him his privacy.'

'You're right.' Sakuragi got up and stretched. 'Besides it just gives me the creeps imagining it.' He grinned and turned towards them. 'Let's shoot some balls.'

'Yeah!'

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They were impressed. Sakuragi moved with a grace and speed that belied his heavy musculature. Even relaxed, all the muscles on his body were perfectly outlined, but now, with the exercise they were doing…Ryota shook his head. 'You have the muscles of a bull.'

The red haired man grinned while shooting a 3 pointer. 'With the grace of a gymnast.'

'Yeah yeah.'

'Helloooo.'

They turned towards the feminine voice and found three women there. 'Haruko!'

Akagi growled. 'Oy! That's my sister. My _married_ sister.'

'We're just friends Gori, don't worry about it.'

He ran towards her leaving them behind. 'He says that but she had a crush on him when they were in high school.'

Mitsui grinned. 'I doubt they still feel that way after 10 years Akagi. Come on, let's join them.'

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Haruko was still as pretty as 10 years ago. And just has nice. 'How's your daughter Sakuragi?'

'Doing great. She'll join us soon with Yohei.'

'I can't wait to meet her. I've only seen pictures of her so it will be wonderful to finally talk to her.'

'I think she'll like that.' He turned towards her friends. 'You guys are still best friends? It's like time never passed for you. You still look like highschoolers.'

They blinked. 'Wow, you've really come a long way from high school.'

He laughed. 'Just a little bit.'

'The laugh is still the same though.'

Akagi approached them. 'I just finished my call to Uozumi. He and Sendoh will meet us tomorrow for a game. Maki, Jin and Kiyota too.'

'That's great!' He frowned. 'Wait…is Kiyota that wild monkey guy?'

'Yup.'

'Hell. That really busts my bubble.' He sighed. 'Well, you need to invite Rukawa to the game.'

'Rukawa?'

'Yeah, he said he wanted to come to the game.'

Ryota rolled his eyes. 'Duh. Of course he would want to come. We're the magnificent five!'

Sakuragi rubbed his hands. 'I can't wait to play with you guys again. And defeat Sendoh!'

Mitsui lifted an eyebrow. 'I don't know Sakuragi. He's reaaaaally good.'

'Oh…' He grinned. 'That's even more fun. Maybe I can learn a few tricks.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Everyone was looking at Sakuragi stretching. The guy always had power and speed but what they never realized was that he could contort like that.

Kiyota blinked. 'It's like watching a circus show.'

Akagi frowned. 'Oy! This isn't a real game. How long are you going to spend warming up?!'

He grinned. 'The preliminaries are as important as the real thing. Never rush those Gori.'

'I can't believe he just said that.'

Sakuragi did a flip in the air. 'All right. I'm ready!'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

It was one thing to watch him on the TV, another completely different to play with him. His speed and shooting skills were off the roof. And while on official games he was only focused on winning with no time to play, now he had fun showing them why he had won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest five years in a row.

And his joy was infectious.

'That's cheating!' Kiyota pointed at Sakuragi. 'You can't do that in a Slam Dunk!'

He grinned. 'Jealous Wild Monkey?'

Ryota just crossed his arms. 'You two should just find a room.'

'Ryo-chin you really are becoming too jealous.' He grinned at Ayako. 'She's going to be suspicious of you if this continues.'

'Yeah right.' He winked at Ayako who was just shaking her head. 'I'm the manliest man in the world.'

'Really?' Sakuragi went to him and then grabbed him and bend him down à la Gone With The Wind. Then he planted a kiss right on his mouth. 'You're really manly Ryo-chin.'

'Sakuragi Hanamichi! What do you think you're doing to my fiancé?!' She got her fan out and was banging it against the bench.

'Hahaha don't be jealous Aya-chan.' And he did the same to her, in exactly the same way he had done to Ryota.

'AHHH! What do you think you're doing to Aya-chan?!'

Mitsui looked at them. 'Do you think they're in a menage à trois?'

Rukawa nodded. 'Probably.' He shook his head. 'I came to play a game not to see a do'ahou.'

Sakuragi turned to him. 'What?'

Rukawa just sighed. '…'

'You also want a kiss?'

He looked at him. 'I don't want to fall asleep in the middle of a game, so no…I don't want one.'

'That's like a provocation for me to kiss you.' He grabbed Rukawa and turned him, holding him in his arms and bending over him. 'Are you sure you don't want one?'

'Do'ahou.'

He blinked and straightened the other man. 'I just noticed. You're pretty.' Everybody began laughing making him scowl. 'What?!'

'You just noticed it now? Why do you think I had a crush on him in high school? Besides his basketball skills of course.'

'Well…I guess I never really looked at him before.' He shrugged. 'I only cared about his performance on the court.'

Ryota shook his head. 'And you say you like guys.'

'Who cares? Anyway, let's continue the game.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Sendoh sighed. 'That felt good.'

Sakuragi interrupted his stretching, that he always did after a game, and grinned. 'You lost.'

'You're in the NBA.' He shrugged. 'It's natural that you've improved your skills.' He shook his head. 'You know…I always see your games but only now do I realize how good you've become.'

'I was already very good when we won nationals.' He sat down next to Sendoh and looked at the others, who were still talking about the match. 'Nature helped a lot when it came to my skills.' He leaned down on his elbows and let his head fall back closing his eyes.

'I guess.' He looked Sakuragi over and then bent his head and kissed him. When he lifted his head, the taller man was looking at him. 'Well?'

He smiled. 'I was wondering when you were going to do that.' He cocked his head to the side. 'Not sure about your preferences?'

'I think I like men…but I like women more.'

He grinned. 'Me too.' He leaned close. 'Now let me show you how you really kiss a guy.' And Sakuragi kissed him until Sendoh was laying on his back with Sakuragi bent over, half on top of him, making him moan in pleasure and press up against his body. 'Well?'

'Wow. That's a totally different level.'

'Hahahaha it's the tensai skills.'

'I guess.' He got up and helped Sakuragi do the same. Subtly he arranged his clothes so his erection wouldn't be visible. He shook his head when Sakuragi grinned at him. 'Never thought you'd be this good.'

He leaned over and whispered in his ear. 'It was a very nice reward for helping you make Maki jealous.'

'What?' He looked at him and blushed. 'What are you talking about?'

'I'm not as dense as I used to be.' He hooked an arm over his shoulders. 'Besides, I think it worked.'

'Oh?'

'Don't look! You'll ruin it.'

'Oh…hum…so…he is looking at us?'

'Everyone is looking at us.' He grinned. 'He's the only one with a mad scowl on his face. Specially because he noticed that you're hard.' Now that he thought about it, Rukawa was also looking at him strangely. He looked at Sendoh, rubbing his lips against his cheek. 'You guys ever tried it?'

'No. Neither of us has been with a man and frankly, for me, Maki is the only guy I'm attracted to.'

Sakuragi let him go and grabbed his heart. 'What about me?!'

He smiled. 'Come on. Let's join the others.'

Ayako grinned at them. 'That was hot! Don't you wanna do it again?'

Mitsui grabbed his stomach. 'I think I'm gonna be sick.'

'Whimp.' He stretched. 'Ah…this was a good day.'

Haruko lifted an eyebrow at him. 'Yeah…you got to kiss a gorgeous guy.'

Sendoh blinked at her. 'I'm gorgeous?'

Everyone looked at him. Sakuragi shook his head. 'You're kidding right? Didn't I just prove that to you?'

He cocked his head to the side. 'I guess.'

Haruko looked at her watch. 'Well…I think it's time to call it a day.'

'Yeah.' He turned towards Ryota. 'We'll meet tomorrow to see the place of your wedding?'

'Sure.'

'I need a ride.'

He looked at Rukawa. 'What?'

'My bicycle's gone.'

'You still ride a bicycle?'

'It's practical.'

He looked at the others. 'I'm sure one of them must live close to you.'

They were all grinning at him. 'Traitors.' He turned towards the black haired man. 'Come on. I'll give you a ride.'

They left and Ayako blinked at the others. 'I think I have a dirty mind. I just had a flash of Sakuragi on his back and Rukawa ridding him.'

They blushed. Haruko entered the joke. 'Sakuragi said in an interview that he's a seme. Pure and simple.'

'Oh he was still the seme. Rukawa was just ridding him…like riding a bike?'

Mitsui scowled. 'That's it. You guys have to stop that. That gives the creeps to hetero men you know?'

Akagi shuddered. 'Yeah…it makes my skin crawl.'

Ayako, Haruko and her two friends responded in unison. 'I think it's hot.' They looked at each other and laughed.

Ryota shook his head. 'You're just perverts.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

'So…where do you live?'

'It's not far away. Turn here.'

'Today was a really good game huh?'

'…'

He rolled his eyes. 'There you go again. Why are you such a block of ice?'

'You don't know me enough to say that.'

'I don't need to know you. I'm saying it based on the way you react to things. Or don't react.' He shook his head. 'You always have a poker face on. Even when I threatened to kiss you, you didn't react at all.'

'Why should I have reacted to that?'

'Because it's normal. You don't like me and you're not a homo, that's why you should have reacted. You should have pushed me away.'

'How do you know I'm not a homo?'

'WHAT?!' He nearly lost control of the car.

'…'

Sakuragi looked quickly at him and got off the road and parked. 'What's that?'

'What?'

'Are you really…'

He shrugged. '…'

Sakuragi sighed. 'First Sendoh and Maki…and now you. There's homo's everywhere.'

Rukawa blinked at him. 'What do you mean Maki? Sendoh kissed you so he's gay but Maki…'

He shrugged. 'Sendoh kissed me to make Maki jealous.'

He narrowed his eyes. 'Then why did you kiss him afterwards?'

He grinned. 'Because his first kiss was lousy and it wouldn't have been enough to make him jealous. But with Sendoh on his back and moaning…hell yeah that would have definitely make him jealous.'

'I see.' He sighed. 'I felt jealous.'

'What?' He blinked. 'You like Sendoh?'

'No.'

'Then wha…no way.' He looked at him with widened eyes. 'Me?! You like me?'

He shrugged. '…'

'That's just wrong! We've disliked each other since first year high school.'

'You disliked me because of Haruko. I didn't.'

'That's not true! You were always saying mean things to me!'

'How would you have reacted if I told you I liked you?'

'Ahhh…I have no idea. I would probably be in shock. Then I would have said that you liked me because I'm a tensai at basketball and completely missed the point.'

'There you have it.'

'But…' He grabbed the wheel until his knuckles turned white. 'You liked me?'

He frowned. 'I think so. Or at least I liked the way you played basketball. Even as a beginner you were really good.'

Sakuragi swallowed. What the hell was this tension? He had never felt this. 'Rukawa…'

'I know. You don't like me.'

'It's not just that…it's…I never thought of you that way.'

I smirked. 'I realized that when you said that only now did you notice that I'm pretty.'

'Shit.'

'It's fine. Frankly, I've never been attracted to another man so…I'm too old to try it with a guy now.'

'What are you talking about? You're 28! That's not old!'

'It feels old to me.'

Sakuragi turned towards him and for the first time in his life he really looked at Rukawa. The black hair was shiny and looked soft. The blue eyes were full of mysteries. The lips were inviting. And the body…he wasn't as muscled as he himself was, never had been, but his muscles were clearly defined, the way gymnasts were. 'I was wrong. You're not pretty, you're beautiful.' Rukawa blinked at him. 'I'm going to kiss you now, ok?'

Rukawa's face was impassive. But his heart was beating overtime and his breathing began accelerating. '...'

Little by little he approached his face to Rukawa's. He couldn't believe that he was going to do this. Rukawa had been his lifelong rival. The one he measured himself against. Even during the game today he had been amazing…which only made him angrier at him. Maybe it was time to progress beyond that. And then he was kissing him and his mind emptied. Oh god…he felt good. That light electricity that always sizzled between them deepened. The smaller man felt so right…

He moved away from him and watched Rukawa's face. His closed eyes, lips parted and moist and the blush covering his cheeks. This was not a block of ice. He lifted a hand and cupped his face. Rukawa inclined his head towards his hand and slowly opened his eyes.

The red haired man had an intense look on his face as if he could see right to his soul. 'Hanamichi…'

'That's the first time you called my name.'

'…'

This time he didn't get angry by his lack of response. He smiled and leaned in again. 'Did you like it?'

'Yes.'

He sighed. 'What now?'

'I become your flavor of the month, right?'

'What?' He moved back. 'What are you talking about?'

He shrugged. 'You're only staying here for a month so…'

Sakuragi swallowed. 'You…you want us to…I mean…be lovers?'

Rukawa's piercing blue eyes speared him. 'Yes.'

'Ahh Ruwaka…I'm a seme. I will not…'

'I know. I saw your TV interview. You clearly said that you're always the top. You might be able to make an exception if you ever truly love a guy but even so that would happen very little.'

'And still you want to be lovers?!'

'Didn't other men also agreed to it?'

'Well yeah but…I just…you're the last person I'd have expected that.'

'Why?'

He blinked. 'Because you're so cool and hard. You've got a seme vibe.'

'I see. Do you want me to be the seme?'

'Hell no!' He scratched his head. 'This is the weirdest conversation I've ever had. I never discussed this with my previous lovers.'

'Then how did you agree who would be top?'

He shrugged. 'It just happened.'

'…' He straightened and faced forward. 'Well we can't stay here the whole night. My house is close anyway.'

Sakuragi looked at him a second more and then started the car.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

'Come in.'

Sakuragi hesitated but then entered Rukawa's house, closing the door behind him. Now that they were in his house, he didn't know what to do. He took off his shoes and went into the living room. The house had only the bare essentials. He looked at the main room with only a bed and closet, the empty spare rooms and the living room with only a couch and a TV. It was a bit empty house and Rukawa had enough money to live way better than this. God knew he himself had a huge mansion. 'You…live here?'

'Yes.'

He felt cold to his soul. Rukawa was totally and completely alone. This was not a house that received guests, it wasn't even a house that you lived in. It wasn't a home. It was a house. 'Rukawa…is everything alright in your life?'

'Yes.' He took off his t-shirt.

'What are you doing?'

He cocked his head to the side. 'I thought we were going to be lovers.'

'Shit! Now?'

'Yes.'

He blushed. 'I don't have condoms or lube with me.'

'Oh...' He frowned. 'Me either.'

He had a look of such disappointment that Sakuragi smiled. He lifted him in his arms and carried Rukawa to the main room.

'Why do you carry me like this?'

'Would you prefer a fireman carry?'

'…no.'

'Then don't complain.' He put him down in front of the bed. Then he knelt and took off Rukawa's socks. He blinked. The man even had pretty toes! Then he went to his pants and unbuttoned them. He noticed the tension in Rukawa's body. 'Still good?'

'Yes.'

He decided not to prolong the torture and just pulled the pants and underwear down, in one movement. Suddenly Rukawa was completely naked in front of him. And he looked gorgeous. They wouldn't be able to go all the way. He was too big to just use saliva for lube, but he could pleasure him.

So, still kneeling, he looked into Rukawa's eyes and closed the distance to his cock. He watched the other man's eyes widen and when he gave the first lick Rukawa's hands went to his hair, to cup his head gently. 'Hanamichi…'

Soon Rukawa's legs gave away and Sakuragi had to stop his ministrations to put him in bed. Then he swallowed him whole, sucking lightly, extracting cries of pleasure from the black haired man.

He couldn't believe he had a trembling Rukawa in his arms. The other man was completely lost to pleasure, his legs opened wide, exposing himself completely. So he decided to go down a bit more.

'Hanamichi!'

'Yes?'

'That's…that's dirty.'

'Shut up Rukawa. Just enjoy.'

And then his tongue was on him again.

Rukawa couldn't breathe. His only link to earth was his hands on Hanamichi's hair. What was he doing?! He heard himself scream when the taller man stabbed his tongue inside him. This was not what he was expecting. He had never imagined that it would feel like this…so good…and with Hanamichi. His back arched off the mattress. He was near. And then he felt Hanamichi's tongue being replaced by fingers. It was weird…then lightning travelled through his body and he came just like that.

He looked at the red haired man's face and saw a little of cum dribbling down the corner of his mouth. 'I'm…I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting…' He gulped when with his thumb Hanamichi swiped the area and licked the finger afterwards. 'Hanamichi…'

'It's ok.' He grinned. 'Been a long time?'

'…'

'It really is ok Rukawa.'

'What about you?'

'Hum?'

He looked at his pants. 'You're hard…and you're still dressed while I'm not.'

Sakuragi looked at Rukawa's blushed face and grinned. 'Want to see me naked?'

'Yes.'

He shook his head. 'Better not today.'

'Why?'

'Because we can't do anything about it…and if we did I'd hurt you and I don't want that.'

'Do'ahou. If I didn't faint when you head-butted me and when we fought, I sure as hell won't feel any pain when we do it.'

He lifted an eyebrow. 'Have you done it with a guy before?'

He hesitated. 'No.'

Sakuragi got on his knees on the bed and put one of Rukawa's hands on the bulge of his pants. 'I'm not small Rukawa. I match my height in every way.' He shrugged. 'Unless I prepare you, I will hurt you.'

He swallowed. He was touching Hanamichi's thing! 'I see.'

'Rukawa?'

'I want to do to you what you did to me.'

'What?'

He opened his pants and pulled them down. Rukawa sucked in his breath. Hanamichi wasn't exaggerating. 'That's…I guess it will hurt.'

He grinned and leaned into him. 'I told you.' He kissed Rukawa and nestled between his opened thighs, giving a small thrust.

'You taste bad.'

'I taste like you buddy.'

He blushed. 'I'm sorry. I should have taken a shower.'

Sakuragi shrugged and gripped both their cocks in his fist. He smiled when Rukawa's hands went to his shoulders gripping them hard. The way this man responded was an amazing surprise to him. And then he began pumping.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Rukawa watched Sakuragi finish cleaning himself with tissues and then button up his pants. He looked down on himself. He was still on the bed, naked and his stomach and chest had cum. He had never felt anything like what Sakuragi had made him feel minutes ago. But now…watching the other man get ready to leave…he felt empty again. He could feel the numbness returning.

'Rukawa? Are you alright?'

'…'

The other man looked strange. He was still on the bed, his legs spread and his face…cold but his eyes expressed a bit of shock. Maybe he'd done too much for Rukawa's first time with a guy. He sat on the bed and pulled his leg until he was able to grab him and place him on his lap. 'What's wrong? Did I go too far?'

The red haired man seemed worried. He let his head fall on his shoulder, missing Sakuragi blinking in surprise. 'Can you stay the night?'

He frowned. Rukawa looked almost fragile. He would never in a million years think that he would have let him hug him this way. He put him in the bed again and got up. He heard him sigh as if he was expecting him to leave. He just grabbed some tissues and went to Rukawa to clean him up.

He made a face. 'It's dry. I need a wet cloth.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

He laid down next to Rukawa and pulled the cover over them both. He watched the other man hesitate and rolled his eyes. He pulled him to his body and let Rukawa snuggle to him. He felt good and fit him perfectly.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Rukawa opened his eyes. He took a minute to remember where he was and another to remember what he had done last night. So that's why he had woken up early. He turned and stared at Sakuragi sleeping. Weird. He had thought that the red head would snore like a pig and drool. He didn't. He just slept peacefully and his eyebrows would sometimes twitch due to whatever he was dreaming about. He couldn't believe what had happened last night. Ever since the first time he had seen Sakuragi, his body had sizzled. And then he saw that amazing dunk against Akagi and admiration for him bloomed. A beginner, a man that had never held a basketball ball before was able to dunk like that. And from game to game the progress he made was unbelievable. He tried to give him advice masked under the pretense of scorn…and it worked. Sakuragi hated him and, much to his irritation, only had eyes for Haruko. She was a nice pretty girl which only irritated him even more. At least both of them were so dense that neither realized that they were in love with each other on their second and senior year in high school. Both of them had been so naïve back then. He had watched Haruko turn her eyes towards Sakuragi and trembled inside. It still amazed him that neither had realized it. Everyone at school knew. He was so sick of it that he left Japan to go to the USA before he even finished high school. He grimaced. And then disaster. He just wanted his two year contract to end so he could return to Japan. Especially because by that time Sakuragi had taken the USA by storm. That lively spirit conquered America and he turned the basketball court into his personal arena. While he was always on the bench, Sakuragi won the award of best Rookie. And he had become a father. He grounded his teeth and looked at the peaceful and youthful face that no one would say was 28 years old. He had become the best in Japan, but Sakuragi had become one of the best in the world.

He sighed. And today. That damned Sendoh had kissed him. And Sakuragi had kissed him back with ten times more passion. He was still seething remembering it. It was bad enough that his experience was next to nothing, with him always obsessing over Sakuragi, but did he have to be this good?! The way Sendoh had reacted, holding on to him and moaning, actually laying down and puling Sakuragi on top of him… it was all he could do not to punch the other man. The only thing he could think of, was that he was the one that should have been in that position. But he had done it. He had finally had the courage to make a move on Sakuragi and had succeeded. And he had liked it. After what he had been through in the USA, he had never expected to like what Sakuragi had done to him. But then, no matter how much the red head hated him, he trusted him not to do something so low. He might beat him until he was almost dead but he wouldn't…

He gasped when Sakuragi opened his eyes.

'What are you thinking about?'

'…'

He sighed. 'Fine.' He looked at Rukawa's pale face. Whatever he had been thinking, it wasn't pleasant. 'What are we going to do now?'

'I…have no idea.' He blinked. 'I never expected for this to happen.'

He grinned. 'Now you're sorry?'

'No. I'm not sorry.'

Sakuragi couldn't resist and kissed him.

'…morning breath.'

He twitched his nose. 'You too.' He grinned. 'Let's take a bath and so we can have breakfast. I'm starving.'

'Bath?...You mean together?'

'Yeah.'

'…'

He grinned and dragged the smaller man to the bathroom.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

'I can't believe you didn't do anything.'

'Hahahaha you could have done something if you wanted.'

'Do'ahou.'

'What?' He blinked when the other blushed lightly. 'Why are you blushing?'

'I don't know what to do.'

He grinned. 'Don't worry. I'll show you.'

'I've really hit rock bottom. The world is just wrong if you have to teach me something.'

'I'm a great teacher hahahaha'

'…' His stomach growled. 'I'm also hungry.'

'Then let's go.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Ryota blinked when he saw Sakuragi and Rukawa enter the coffee house together. 'Did you just meet?' He lifted the tea cup to his lips.

The red head sat and grinned. 'We're lovers.'

Ryota spit all over the table. 'WHAT?!'

'Hahahaha'

'If that's a joke it's not funny.'

Rukawa grabbed the menu and opened it. 'It's not a joke.'

'Shit!' He gaped at him. 'You're serious?'

'Yes.'

'Holy hell.' He pinched himself. 'Nobody's going to believe this.'

Rukawa just shrugged. '…'

Ryota just gaped at them. Each ordered their breakfast and between them…that aggressive tension that seemed to be always present was no more. No…that wasn't right. There was still tension only now…it was sexual. 'You've really…done it?'

Sakuragi shook his head. 'Not yet.'

'…'

'Oh boy…ah…are you going to tell the others?'

'I couldn't care less.'

Rukawa just shrugged. 'Me either.'

'Wow…this is unreal.'

The waitress came with their food.

After she left, Sakuragi grinned. 'Forget about it. So, are we gonna meet with Ayako?'

'Yeah…huh…do you want to come Rukawa?'

'No.'

Sakuragi turned towards him. 'Do you wanna do something afterwards?'

'Sure.'

Ryota looked at them. 'Sooo you're not gonna move to my home?'

Rukawa looked at his food. 'You can stay at my house.'

'You don't mind?'

He shrugged. 'It's just for a month.'

Sakuragi frowned. Why didn't he look at him? He seemed as cold as always. Then he blinked when he noticed the slight trembling of his fingers picking up the chopsticks. That made him feel better. 'Sure. Why not?'

Rukawa lifted his head and looked at the red head. He had a tender smile on his face and it was for him. He could feel a blush blooming on his cheeks. Damn! He never blushed! '…' And he went back to his food.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

After Rukawa left them, Ryota and Sakuragi began walking towards their meeting point with Ayako. 'Hanamichi…are you sure about this?'

'What?'

'You know what! Rukawa looked…hell the man blushed! I've never seen him blush.'

'I know.'

'And…I don't know why but he seems fragile. Even though he's still the cool guy he seems…he likes you.'

'Well, he's not entirely sure about that but…yeah. I guess he likes me.'

'That guy was a wreck when he came back from the USA. The fact that he didn't succeed there while you took that country by storm…he was a mess for a whole year. He was all skin and bones…and then all of a sudden he changed, became colder and so determined. We've never seen him going out with anyone. Neither girl or guy. It's like he's been celibate this all time.'

'He's really private. Maybe you just didn't know.'

'I doubt that. There was just this vibe…like…you can look but don't touch.'

He snorted. 'I did a lot more than look last night.'

He blushed. 'I guess but…'

Sakuragi frowned. 'But now that you mention it…sometimes…he did seem inexperienced.' He shrugged. 'I thought it was because I was his first man.'

Ryota shook his head. 'I don't believe it's just that.'

'Hey! This is Rukawa! That guy has legions of girls after him!'

'And you know that he never cared about them.'

He frowned. 'What are you getting at?'

'I'm not sure…I just think…I think his experience is really…limited.'

He blinked. Now that he thought about…he shook his head. Nah…couldn't be. He was just Mr. Cool Guy.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

'I never thought I'd say this but Ayako is a first class hentai.'

Rukawa looked at Sakuragi. They'd just begun doing a 15 kms run. 'Why?'

'After Ryota told her that we…got together she wanted to know details. Really minute details.'

He lifted an eyebrow. 'What did you do?'

'Turned coward and ran away.'

Rukawa's lips twitched and Sakuragi blink. Holy hell! Was that almost a smile?!

'I thought nothing embarrassed you.'

'I don't have any problem telling people who I'm sleeping with. I do have a problem when they ask me for my partner's size, birth marks, if he's a screamer and so on.'

'S…screamer?!'

'Well…you moaned loudly and screamed last night but we didn't go all the way. So you didn't really SCREAM.' He grinned at him. 'Who knows what you'll do when we…do it?'

He blinked. Once again he didn't know what to answer. '…'.

Sakuragi felt like laughing. Rukawa had a very light blush on his face. Of course it could be because of the run. 'Would you like to scream?'

'I don't scream.'

'Really?' He shrugged and increased their pace. 'Maybe your previous lovers didn't do a good job.'

'Oh really?'

'Yeah. Mine either scream their heads off or can't even speak. They just gap like they're drowning. What about yours?'

'...'

Sakuragi hesitated. 'Rukawa?' No way. Ryota couldn't be right.

'What?'

'Ahh…nothing.' _Shit! Crap! Fuck! No way is this happening. He's 28 years old!_ 'Do you…date a lot?'

'What do you mean?'

'When was the last time you had a date and sex?'

'That's too much information and none of your business.'

_Oh hell…_ 'Fine.'

'Why do you want to know?'

He shrugged. 'Just curious.'

He didn't ask anything more and Rukawa didn't offer more information.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Rukawa waited for him to get out of the taxi and unload his pack. Sakuragi was moving to his house this night…and he had gone to a pharmacy and bought condoms and lube. He had to wait until no one was there and even so he wore a cap and his head was down the entire time. God, talk about embarrassing.

The bigger man stopped at his doorstep grinning. 'Ah…come in.' He led him to the living room. 'I'll have to buy a closet for you since I only have mine.'

'That's ok man. Not necessary. It's only for a month.'

'Oh right.'

Rukawa watched him go to his room and he went to the kitchen. He hoped he had prepared a large enough meal. During the dinner with others Sakuragi had eaten like crazy.

Sakuragi came back. 'So…do you want to go out and have dinner?'

'…' He looked at his stove. 'I was making dinner.'

'Oh really?' He approached him from behind and looked over him. 'What are you cooking?'

'…If you want we can go out.'

'Nah…that's fine.'

He bent his head and pressed his cheek against Rukawa's. The other man pressed back, closing his eyes. Sakuragi turned a bit and kissed him slowly. Rukawa turned and slipped inside his arms, hugging him by the neck and pressing against him. Slowly they parted.

'Hanamichi?'

'Yeah?'

'I went to the pharmacy.'

He blinked. 'What?'

Rukawa turned beet red. Sakuragi had never seen him blush so much. 'I bought condoms and lube.'

'Oh.' Now he was blushing as well. He could even feel his ears turn red. 'I see.' He hesitated. 'Are you sure?'

'Aren't you?'

'Yes, but you've never been with a guy before so it's normal if you're nervous and unsure.'

'I'm not and I want this.'

'Ok.' He certainly looked determined.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

After they finished eating Sakuragi helped him clean up. 'So do you want see TV? What movies do you have?'

'None. I only have DVDs of basketball games.'

'That's it?'

'Yeah.'

'What if you don't feel like seeing basketball games?'

He shrugged. 'I sleep.'

Sakuragi laughed. 'Yeah…your famous hobby.'

Rukawa just threw his cleaning cloth in the sink. 'Can't we just do it?'

'What?'

He ground his teeth. 'I don't feel like watching TV. I want to do it. After what I went through to get those things I really want to do it now!'

Sakuragi lips twitched. If Rukawa had ever been nervous, it was now. 'Nervous?'

'No!'

'Anxious?'

'…'

'Well?'

'Maybe a bit.'

'You know? You really are beautiful.'

Rukawa blinked. 'What?'

'Now I can understand why all those girls were hysterical about you.'

'Are. They're still hysterical.'

He grinned. He said that in such a matter of fact way that he couldn't help but be amused. 'I guess you're right.' He cocked his head to the side. 'Ever had male fans?'

Rukawa paled. '…'

Sakuragi frowned. 'Rukawa?'

'Yeah…of course I have. Can we forget about that?' He looked him in the eyes. 'I want to do it now.'

'What's your hurry?' He smiled and embraced him, pulling him into the heat of his body. 'Afraid you'll lose the nerve?'

'Are you trying to provoke me?'

'Nah. Just relax you.'

Rukawa fit his head under his chin. It felt so good to be held by Hanamichi. He had spent the last 13 years craving this man. The want was so acute that now, now that he was so near to have him…he couldn't wait any longer. Not a second more. He didn't care about what men had done to him. Last night had been a bit of a revelation. It was perfectly clear the depth of emotion that he felt for the taller man. He didn't feel threatened or dirty. He had just felt pleasure. So much pleasure.

He lifted his head. 'I want you.'

Sakuragi sucked his breath in. Gods, those blue eyes were positively smoldering. _Definitely not a block of ice_. 'And I want you.'

Rukawa gasped when he was lifted into Sakuragi's arms. 'Again?'

He grinned. 'I like it.' He nuzzled his hair. 'You feel good in my arms.'

'Then carry me to bed.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Rukawa was moaning. He couldn't stop it if he tried. Sakuragi was kissing the insides of his thighs, licking lightly and completely maddening him. 'Hanamichi…please…'

He grinned and moved up licking his length. And Rukawa screamed. _I knew it. A screamer._ To madden him further he lifted himself to kiss him. 'Still ok Rukawa?'

'You know I'm perfectly fine!' He growled and grabbed his hair. 'What are you waiting for?'

'Just making sure that you're really ready to be taken by me. Once we begin I won't be able to stop.'

'I want it!' He pushed Sakuragi off him and turned, stomach down, lifting his butt in the direction of the other man's groin. 'Now take me!'

'Jesus!'

He couldn't believe that Rukawa had done this. The man didn't have a submissive bone in his body but he was willing to do this. He caressed the perfect globes in front of him and without any warning stabbed his tongue inside.

'Hanamichiii!'

He grinned. 'What?'

'What do you mean what?!' He panted and lost strength in his arms, falling face down on the bed with his butt still in the air. 'I…I can't breathe.'

Sakuragi swallowed. _Damn but he's hot!_ He put lube on his fingers and gently inserted one. Rukawa moaned lowly and Sakuragi lifted himself on his knees spooning him from behind, supporting his upper body on an arm and then leaning down to whisper at his ear. 'Feels good?' Slowly he inserted another and smiled when the other man gasped.

'I…yes…oh god…' _It felt good._ He grabbed the bed covers and widened his stance even more when Sakuragi inserted a third finger inside him. This was nothing like what had been done to him before. He was helpless to stop his hips from moving to the rhythm of Sakuragi's fingers. 'Hanaaaa…please…more…'

'Yeah?' He grinned. _Damn he's really sensitive._ He turned him around and spread his legs wide. _What a view_. He leaned down and gave a slow lick on the entire length of Rukawa's cock.

He gasped. 'Are you trying to torture me?!' He tried to turn around but the taller man stopped him.

'I wanna take you for the first time looking into your face.'

His eyes widened. 'Why?'

'So you never forget your first man.' He quickly put on a condom and stretched on top of him, fitting his hips perfectly in the cradle Rukawa's thighs. 'So that you look into my eyes and scream my name when you come.'

Rukawa just gaped. That sounded like possession. Proprietary. As if he was his. As he felt him enter his body, he had to agree. He was his wasn't he? Since that first time they had seen each other in high school. And he wasn't just his first man…he was also his last. He tenderly cupped Hanamichi's face in his hands as he felt him completely inside him. 'Oh god…this is…' He was stretched to his limit, Hanamichi length completely inside him. He squeezed his inner muscled making Sakuragi moan. 'You feel huge inside me.'

'I am huge baby.' He grinned and kissed him. 'You ok?'

'Yeah.'

'No pain?'

He shook his head. 'I'm completely full but…no pain.' He held on to his back, his nails biting into the thick muscles. 'Take me. Make me come.'

He smiled, one hand going down to grab Rukawa's thigh and lift it so he could thrust easily.

Rukawa could only grab on when Hanamichi began moving. He tried to move with him but the hand on his thigh was stopping his hips from moving, so he was at his mercy. And his eyes. Every time he managed to open his eyes, his brown ones were looking back at him. Passionate. Possessive. Wanton. His. Oh gods help him. He thought of Sakuragi Hanamichi as his.

And then pleasure overtook him and he couldn't think anymore.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

'Well?'

Rukawa was still trying to calm his breathing but he managed to turn his head to Sakuragi. 'Well what?'

'Did you like it?'

He blinked. 'You're joking right? I'm covered in come. I think that answers the question don't you?'

'Hum…I guess.' He lifted a hand and caressed his cheek. And in a reaction he was coming to expect, Rukawa closed his eyes and pressed his cheek against his hand. It was just a small gesture but a big revealing one. It expressed simple and easy affection. Something that Rukawa never showed anyone. It made him feel even taller and more powerful than he already was.

'…'

'What?'

'I don't think I can go again tonight. It didn't hurt but I'm beginning to feel a bit sore.'

He grinned and got up. 'Then we won't.'

'Where are you going?'

'Get a cloth to clean us up.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Rukawa let himself be pulled into Sakuragi's body and snuggled up. He liked to sleep like this. And the other man always showed an amazing consideration towards him. This night had also been a surprise. He hadn't expected to like it so much. Well he knew he would like it given how attracted he was to Sakuragi but given his previous experience he hadn't expected to like it has much. Nothing about this night made him remember what had happened to him ten years ago in America. He pressed tighter against the other man. This felt good. Right. And surprisingly peaceful.

'Why didn't you get married?'

'Hum?'

'You're rich, good-looking and American girls like you. Why didn't you get married?'

He shrugged. 'It just never happened. Besides I lost my virginity and the girl got pregnant. That's traumatic. I don't know why but we never thought of marriage, Caroline and me. We loved each other but…I don't know it just never came up.' He smiled and pulled him harder against his body. 'Now we're best friends and have a daughter that both of us love. She's an amazing kid. The man she married can't have kids so he also dotes on her, loving her as if she's his own. All around we're pretty lucky.'

'But you said that you wanted more kids.'

'Yeah…I'd like to have more kids but…I doubt I'll ever meet someone like Carol again.'

'If you met someone like her again you wouldn't marry.'

He laughed. 'True. What about you?'

'I don't want kids.'

'Why?!'

'I wouldn't be good to them.'

'Huh…Rukawa you're going to teach kids.'

'High schoolers. Which will allow me to be a lot harder on them then younger ones. Besides If I catch one like you, I'm gonna have my revenge on him thanks to what you put me through.'

He grinned. 'Poor kid. Of course, if he turns out to be anything like me, he'll beat you up.'

'He can try.'

'Hum…you're right. So no kids? I think you're wrong you know? You'd be a good father.'

'Hanamichi?'

'What?'

'I won't be a father because I don't like girls.'

'What?'

'The fact that I have a legion of female fans and I don't care a single bit about them ever strike you as strange?'

'Hum…'

'Not. Attracted. To. Women.'

'Ok. I get it.'

'You're the hentai.'

'What?!'

'A glutton.'

'Rrrukawa…'

'You're into both men and women. It's like being a carnivore and a vegetarian at the same time.'

He blinked. 'That's…that image is just so wrong.'

'…yeah.'

He grinned and nuzzled his hair. 'Let's sleep. I'm tired.'

'Ok.'

'Ok? Just like that?'

'…I'm sore. I want to rest so we can do it again tomorrow.'

'Jesus!' He blushed. 'You're really single minded.'

'Only have a month with you. Have to squeeze as much out of this time together as I can.'

'You say the most romantic things.'

'…'

'Hahaha.' He kissed his hair and settled comfortably to sleep. 'See you tomorrow Rukawa.'

'Kaede.'

'What?'

'Call me Kaede.'

He smiled. 'Good night Kaede.'

'Night Hanamichi.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Rukawa watched him sleep. That youthful face, that for him was lovelier that anything else in this world, was sleeping right next to him. Awake Sakuragi was energetic, always sizzling and wicked thanks to age and experience. Sleeping he reminded him of the boy he had fallen in love with 13 years ago. It felt good to be in his arms. Like this, his loneliness was no more. 'I love you, Sakuragi Hanamichi.'

Right then, Sakuragi opened his eyes watching Rukawa widen his in surprise. Without a word he pulled the other man closer to him, kissing him softly. 'Sleep Kaede.'

Sighing, he obeyed him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

'What time is it?'

Rukawa rolled his eyes. 'Three o'clock. They should be appearing soon.'

He grinned. 'I miss Mars.'

'I know. Yesterday, the only thing you talked about was her.' He blinked when he saw bright red hair. That was unmistakably Sakuragi's hair. 'I guess that's her.'

'Mars!'

The tall, skinny girl stopped and her face split in a beautiful grin. 'Daddy!'

Then she was running towards Sakuragi and launching herself into his arms. 'It's so good to see you baby.'

She hugged him tight by the neck. 'You too.'

'Hello, Hanamichi.'

'Carol!' He blinked. 'You also came?'

'Yup and Josh too.'

He turned, noticing for the first time the thin older man smiling at them indulgently. 'Hello Sakuragi. It's nice to see you.'

Transferring his daughter to just one arm, he shook hands with the older man. 'It's nice to see you too.' He grinned wickedly. 'How did she convince you to fly?'

He blushed. 'Sakuragi…'

'Hahahaha!'

'Who is he?'

He turned to look at where his daughter was looking. 'Oh…that's Rukawa Kaede. My boyfriend.'

'…'

'WHAT?!' Yohei dropped his bag. 'You and Rukawa are dating?!' He grabbed his heart. 'I think I'm gonna have a heart attack.'

'That's Rukawa?' Mars looked at Sakuragi with wide eyes. 'I thought you hated him!'

His face turned as red as his hair, especially when Rukawa just lifted an eyebrow at him. 'Hum…well…I feel differently now.'

'Obviously.' Carol smiled at Rukawa lifting a hand towards him. 'It's nice to meet you.'

Rukawa shook her hand lightly. '…'

Josh blinked. 'Hum…I'm sorry…are you mute?'

Sakuragi snickered when Rukawa growled a firm no. 'He just doesn't like speaking all that much.'

He glared at the red head. 'Unlike some people, when I don't have anything to say I don't feel the need to speak.'

'Hey!'

'You speak Japanese very well.'

Josh shrugged. 'We thought it best. Sometimes Sakuragi would just grumble at us and we wanted to know if he was being insulting.'

'Oh come on! Like I'd be afraid of saying it right to your face!'

He grinned. 'You're right.'

'You're friends.'

They looked at Rukawa.

Yohei smiled. 'Of course they are.'

'But…' He pointed at Sakuragi and Carol. 'They were together, had a daughter, she's married to another man and they're friends?'

They grinned and then laughed. Carol wiggled her eyebrows at him. 'The media thinks we're in a ménage à trois.'

'…'

Sakuragi leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. 'It's a lie. Besides Josh being completely straight, he's also not my type.'

'Neither is that guy.'

He shrugged. 'He's everyone's type.'

They all blinked and really looked at Rukawa. 'You're right.'

Yohei just grumbled. 'I still can't believe it. You and Rukawa…' He shook his head. 'Unbelievable.'

Mars patted his hair and when he took a step back, she grinned. 'You're pretty.'

Carol sighed. 'Like father like daughter. You guys have the same taste even when it comes to men.'

'Hahahaha come on guys. I'll take you to your hotel. We'll meet again for dinner.'

'Aren't you staying at the same hotel?'

'I'm bunking at Rukawa's house.'

They all gaped at him. 'You're living with him?'

He blushed. 'It's just for this month! And we're not living together, so cut it out!'

Rukawa felt as if someone had just stabbed him. With a hot poker. Repeatedly. Just two weeks. He only had two weeks left with Sakuragi. Soon the other man would leave and he would be all alone again. He loved having the red head living with him. Everything just felt so…alive. Like him. He sighed. 'Shall we go? We can't keep standing still here.'

'Oh, yeah…let's go.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

'What did you think?'

'About what?'

He frowned. 'My daughter of course!'

'She's just like you…without the obnoxious laugh.'

'Haha very funny.'

'She seemed very grown up.'

He grinned. 'Yeah…it drives Carol crazy.' He looked at Rukawa and his smile died a bit. 'Are you ok?'

'Yes.'

'There really isn't anything between us, you know. Carol and me. There hasn't been for nine years. Carol really loves Josh.'

'…'

He went to the smaller man and pulling him into his body, kissed his neck softly. 'What do you want to do until dinner time?'

'Hentai.' But he just lifted his arms to hug Sakuragi by the neck and kissed him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Sakuragi moaned as Rukawa kissed his stomach. He watched until after a brief hesitation Rukawa licked his head. He sucked in a breath. It was the first time he was doing this. Usually, Rukawa just followed his lead, content to take a submissive role. He watched him bob his head up and down on his length. Rukawa was embarrassed. Excited to do this but embarrassed. Sakuragi arched his back moaning while smiling at the same time. He knew him so well. Rukawa poured lube on his hand, spreading it on his cock, then he did the same to himself. He prepared himself to receive Sakuragi. He very nearly came just looking at the dark haired man doing that. His look of concentration was just too cute. Then Rukawa was climbing up his body and slowly impaling himself on his cock. Sakuragi's hands went to his hips to adjust the angle and then Rukawa was sitting completely on his lap.

'You're feeling frisky today. Aren't you?'

Placing his hands on the red head's stomach he began moving slowly. 'You dislike this?'

He moaned. 'Hell no. Anytime you want it like this, just do it. I'm game.' He arched off the bed, moaning loudly when Rukawa began moving harder on him.

'Hanamichi?'

'Wwhat?'

'Can I make you scream?'

He blinked and then a slow smile began stretching his lips. 'Please do.'

And he did.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

'Well…' Sakuragi was panting with Rukawa still on top of him, his cock still inside the other man. 'That was an eye opening experience.'

'…'

He grinned. 'Did you like it?'

'…yes.'

He cradled Rukawa's face between his palms, pulling to kiss him lightly. 'You have to be the sexiest man alive.'

'Hum…wanna sleep.'

He looked at the watch. 'We have to shower and then dress so we can meet for dinner with Carol and the others.'

'Oh…I forgot.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

When they came back home, after having dinner, Sakuragi just sat on the bed, watching Rukawa go about his nightly routine. It surprised him. Although he had had lots of lovers, it was the first time he had actually lived with someone to know enough of their routine. He knew the other man so well by now. His silences. His little gestures. The way he looked at him with those dark blue eyes. So intense and passionate. And he realized that for the first time in his life he was falling in love. Not a crush, or lust or caring…no, he was well and truly falling in love. The closest thing he had come to this feeling was with Haruko-san and maybe Carol.

'What?'

'Just thinking that in less than two weeks I'll leave Japan.'

'…'

He smiled. Since when did he consider Rukawa's silences an answer all in itself? God, he really was cute. 'Do you want to come with me?'

He blinked. 'What?'

'I like you Rukawa. Can we try to have a relationship?'

'And when we break up or you get tired of me? Where will I be then?'

'What makes you think that I'll be tired of you or that we will break up?'

'You said you wanted more children. And that you don't have long relationships with men.'

He frowned. 'Well…that's true but…'

'It's fine.' He went to Sakuragi and kissed him. 'I'm fine. You don't have to force yourself.'

He opened his mouth and then closed it. _But I'm not forcing myself._ He sighed. 'I'm going to use the bathroom now ok?'

'…'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

'You wanted to talk?' Sakuragi looked at Carol and Josh, frowning at the fact that they seemed really embarrassed.

'Hum…it's private.'

Rukawa got up. 'I'll leave.'

'No that's fine.' Sakuragi grabbed his hand. 'Above all, you're my friend.' He grinned at the couple in front of him. 'I'm sure they're not going to ask that I murder someone so you can listen.' Carol blinked at him and lifted an eyebrow at him. Sakuragi could feel a blush creep up his neck. After pulling Rukawa back to his seat, he asked. 'So, what do you want to talk about?'

'Well…you know that Josh can't have children?'

'Yeah.'

'I…we want to have more.'

He frowned. 'You want to adopt?' He shrugged. 'I think that's great.'

'Hum…no. Not adopt. Artificial insemination.'

'Oh!'

'Right…and…hum…' She looked at Josh asking for help.

'We talked about our several options and I was the one who came up with this. I want to see her pregnant, raise our child right from the womb.'

Sakuragi nodded. 'I can understand that. That way the child would really be yours. Even if it doesn't have your blood.'

'Right…I'm also the one who came up with the donor.'

'Oh…wow…hum…look I know we're friends but I don't understand why you're telling me this and being so embarrassed about it. You should know that no matter what you decide I'll support you guys. I love you both and I want you to do whatever makes you happy.'

Josh grinned. 'I know. Which is why, both Carol and I, want you to father the other child…or children.'

'What?!' He blushed bright red and looked at Rukawa. 'Hum…but…I can't have sex with Carol again. You guys are married!'

She guffawed. 'You don't have to have sex with me silly. We'll do it through artificial insemination.' She sighed. 'We could have an anonymous donor but…we know you and we already have Mars so…' she smiled. 'Well, besides Josh, I really can't see myself having another man's child.'

'And you're ok with this?'

Josh shrugged. 'I was the one who first suggested it.' He smiled. 'We know you, Hanamichi. You're a truly good person. If something were to happen to us we know that our children would always have a home with you…even if they weren't your blood.'

'Hell, of course they would!'

'So you see…we're already a family. Why not keep it that way?'

'But…' He lowered his head. 'I want more children. I even told Rukawa that but…I always thought of myself as the one raising them. If we do this, you'll get my children but I won't raise them.'

Carol frowned. 'We wouldn't keep you from them. We don't even have a formal agreement about Mars. You see her anytime you want to.'

'But she lives with you. The two of you are her parents, not me. I'd like to raise my future children. To be their parent. Not just visit them. I want to be called Daddy just like Mars does.'

Josh looked at Carol. 'We had no idea that you felt that way. I mean…you always seemed so happy to have Mars and you see her anytime you want to.'

Rukawa looked at them. 'When would you like to have these children?'

'Maybe next year. And if everything was well another one two or three years after.' Carol sighed. 'I always wanted a big family but now…'

Rukawa looked at Hanamichi. 'You're 28 already. You'll probably retire in about 5 years. If you have children then, why can't you raise them together?'

They blinked at him. 'What?'

He shrugged. 'You guys are rich enough to buy a big house where all of you can live. Hell, I imagine that Sakuragi sleeps at your home when he visits Mars…and that you also do the same when you visit him.'

'Well…that's true but…'

'He isn't difficult to live with. Believe me after these two weeks I know.'

They grinned while Sakuragi blushed bright red. 'Why thanks!'

He shrugged. 'It's the truth.'

Hanamichi looked at them. 'Give me time to think about it ok?' He smiled. 'It's true that I wouldn't mind have more beautiful children like the one I had with you Carol but…I really wanted _my_ children.'

She nodded. 'I understand. I don't plan to have them right away so…take your time thinking about it.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

'What do you think?' He put on his seat belt and soon they were leaving the hotel where Carol and Josh were staying.

Rukawa just shrugged. 'It's your life. You're the one who needs to make a decision.'

'Yeah but…' He sighed. 'I really didn't see this one coming.'

He lifted an eyebrow. 'You also didn't see me coming…and both you and I have been coming every night.'

He grinned. 'And day.'

'Hentai.'

'Hahahaha since you're keeping up with me really well, that also makes you a hentai.'

'…' Rukawa turned to give him an intense look. 'I'm feeling like a hentai right now, I'm so hard.'

Sakuragi gapped at his crotch and soon he was accelerating to arrive home a lot faster.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

'You two are really changed.'

Sakuragi grinned at Maki. 'What do you mean?'

'You're playing like a team.'

He shrugged. 'Being an adult will do that to you. I used to care more about not passing the ball to Rukawa than winning.'

'Yeah…you also weren't lovers back then.'

'Hahahaha true.' He looked at Sendoh talking to Rukawa. 'So…you and Sendoh…'

'What?' He crossed his arms in front of his chest in a defensive position. 'You already have Rukawa. Don't tell me you also want Sendoh.'

He lifted an eyebrow. 'Jealous?'

'Hardly. I don't understand why you're asking that. We just meet once in a while.'

'Then you really don't mind if I take him?' He cocked his head to the side, a thoughtful expression on his face. 'Rukawa never had a ménage à trois.'

The other man gapped at him. 'What?!'

'Well…he's very curious about everything.'

'I really don't need to know about that.'

He grinned and slapped him hard on his back. 'Well…since you seemed interested in Sendoh, I felt that I should ask you. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't poaching. I guess I'm gonna have fun tonight.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

'Maki seems angry.'

Sakuragi grinned at him. 'I just told him that the three of us are going to have sex.'

'What?!'

'…'

He shrugged. 'It's been three weeks now, since we kissed. Don't you think you should have made your move?'

'That kiss did more harm than good. He's been avoiding touching me since then.'

Rukawa looked at him, then cupping his face between his palms, he kissed him briefly. 'Maybe you should attack him.'

'What?!'

He shrugged. 'I attacked Sakuragi.'

He grinned. 'I don't remember it that way.'

'Shut up ahou.' He turned back towards Sendoh, letting him go. 'Just make your move. It has to be a make or break it kind of move.'

'I'm afraid.'

'You? Afraid?' Sakuragi grinned and hooking an arm over his neck pulled him to his body kissing his cheek. 'You don't have a coward bone in your body Sendoh. Just take the old man.'

'He really doesn't seem happy with what we're doing with you.'

'He has two children. He wife died in an accident three years ago and he hasn't been in a relationship since then…and he's afraid what being with another man will do to his children.'

'Maybe he should meet Mars.' Sakuragi looked at his daughter who was talking happily with Ayako. 'She knows I'm bi and couldn't care less about it. Even at school where she could be bullied about it, she actually speaks about it with pride.'

'No one ever tried to bully her about it?'

'In the beginning, some kids made fun of her about it and tried to beat her up.'

'What happened?'

'She's my daughter.'

'What does that mean?'

He grinned. 'She beat them up.'

'Scary.' He smiled. 'I don't think I can make a move on Maki. He just seems too inapproachable.' He sighed. 'Before, I could feel his interest. Even though we never had been interested in men there was something there between us. We could feel it. An attraction. Now, he's just squelching it.'

'I see. Well I can't kiss you again to make him jealous. Rukawa would beat me up. He's too possessive.'

'Do'ahou.'

He grinned. 'Do you wanna come with us?'

He blinked. 'Hum…I really don't think of other men like that.'

'Hahaha it's just to hang out. Don't worry. I won't make a move on your virtue.'

'Oh…ok then. Don't have much to do anyway.'

'MARS! Come here! I want to introduce you to a friend of mine!'

She came running and threw herself into his arms, letting him pick her up. 'You say that you're too big to be carried around but you always want me to pick you up.'

She shrugged. 'Soon you'll be too old to be able to do that so I have to take advantage of it while I can.'

He grinned. 'Meet Sendoh.'

'Oooh cute. If you weren't 20 years older than me, I think I'd want to marry you.'

Sakuragi just gapped at her. 'What?! You're going back to the USA!'

'It's not my fault that your friends are gorgeous. Besides you also think the same.'

'Hahaha true.' He winked at Sendoh who had a slight blush on his cheeks. 'You're not my type but you're definitely cute.'

Maki approached them. 'I guess just looking at her hair, you can tell that she's your daughter.'

He turned to Maki. 'Yeah, meet Mars.'

'Hello.'

'Hi.' She looked at her father. 'Well, this old man isn't our type, so we can have Sendoh and don't have to worry about him.'

'Old man?' He sighed. 'She really is your daughter Sakuragi.'

'Hahaha she is.'

He lifted an eyebrow. 'So I'm not your type but Sendoh is?'

'Actually Sendoh isn't my type either…but I'll make an exception on his case.'

'I see.' He tried to calm himself. 'You're speaking about such things in front of your daughter?'

'I've known that daddy likes men since I was four years old. Couldn't care less.'

He blinked at her. 'Oh?'

She shrugged. 'Besides, his boyfriends are really cute. Just like Rukawa.' She grinned winking at the surprised black haired man. 'My dad had the best of taste when it came to you.'

'…'

She laughed. 'Oh god that is just so cute!'

Sakuragi laughed at her. 'Isn't it?'

She grinned and hugged him. 'Yeah. I like him.'

Still grinning, he turned to Sendoh. 'So? After I drop of Mars with Carol do you want to come home with us?'

He hesitated looking briefly at Maki but then just sighed. 'Yeah. I guess I do.'

'What? Where are you going?'

Rukawa just looked at Maki with his usually indifferent look. 'He's coming home with us.'

His hands formed fists. 'What do you mean by that?'

'Are you going to have two boyfriends at the same time daddy? The last time you did that it was a big scandal.'

'Hum…'

'Two?!' He looked at Sendoh. 'And you're ok with that?'

He hesitated. 'We're not going to be boyfriends.' He looked at Mars and blushed a bit. 'Hum…I'm just spending the night.'

She nodded. 'Oh ok. You're just a friend.'

'Right.' Maki was trying really hard not to blow up a fuse. 'Just a friend. A friend that spends the nights.' He gnashed his teeth when the other man's blush increased. 'I get it.' And he left them.

'Wow.' Mars grinned at Sendoh. 'He's really jealous.'

They blinked at her. 'You knew what we were doing?!'

'Oh please…daddy might have had lots of girlfriends and boyfriends but he's been never unfaithful to them.' She shook her head. 'No way is he going to betray Rukawa.'

He grinned. 'I love you baby.'

'Love you too daddy. Now put me down. Mom seems to be panicking with the questions Ayako is asking her.'

'Hum…you're right.' He grinned watching her run back to her mother.

'Your daughter is really something Sakuragi.'

'Yeah…I wonder what it would be like to have more of her.' He shook himself. 'Well, anyway…you really want to come with us?'

'Yeah, I guess so.'

'He's not going.' Surprised they all looked at Maki that had returned. The older looking man grabbed Sendoh's hand and pulled him. 'We're going. Bye.' And then he was pulling him.

'Hey…wait…Maki!'

'Shut up. You're coming with me.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Sakuragi was still grinning while he saw Maki's car leaving. 'Oh my god. That was priceless.'

'I guess it worked.'

'Yup.' He shook his head. 'I think Maki realized that if he didn't do something now, it would be definitely over.'

'…'

He hugged him from behind. Rukawa fit in his arms perfectly. 'Do you also want to go home?'

Rukawa relaxed against him. 'Yes.'

'Let's just say our good-byes then.' He hesitated. 'I also need to speak with you about something.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Sakuragi watched Rukawa clean the kitchen. Everytime they ate at home, he always did that. He would prepare the dinner and efficiently clean the kitchen. He had offered to help him before, but the other man had refused on the grounds that he had no control over his strength and had broken the two plates he had tried to clean. 'Rukawa?'

'Hum…' He murmured distractively while putting the glasses on their cupboards. 'What is it?'

'I really need to talk with you.'

He knew what the red haired man was referring to. He was going to leave to the US in four days. He was going to be alone again. This house was going to be cold and uninviting like it had been before Sakuragi had come to live with him. He felt a cold grip on his heart. 'About what?'

'Come with me to the USA.'

'We already had this talk.'

'I spoke to the owner of my basketball team and the coach as well. They're interested in you.'

'What?!' He slowly turned towards Sakuragi. 'You did what?'

He grinned. 'I spoke to them. They want you. They really don't care that we're lovers. They've seen your matches and they're really impressed with your skill.'

'You had no right to do that.'

'What? But…it's one of the best teams in the USA. And they want you to play for them. They're willing to offer you a really big contract for two years.'

He threw the cleaning cloth into the counter. 'I don't want to go to the USA!'

'Why?!' He got up. 'It's your chance to make it there.'

'I hate it! And I don't need your favors! I told you I was quitting basketball.'

'That's crazy! You're so good. God you have the talent to be one of the best in the world. Why would you refuse that?!'

'Not your business.'

'Yes it is. We're together.'

'Only for four more days.'

'That's it? Four more days together then I'll go back to America and you'll do what? Continue on with your life?'

'Yes.'

He shook his head. 'No way. I refuse to do that.' He passed his hand over his hair messing it up. 'I want to have a relationship with you Rukawa.'

'I'm not going to America.'

He looked at him and then sighed. Then he went to their room and in a small bag put several shirts and underwear as well as his wallet and documents.

When he left their room, Rukawa blinked at his bag. He picked his car keys and just before opening the front door, he stopped. 'I love you, you know.' And he left, leaving Rukawa behind.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

After the toast, Rukawa looked at Sakuragi while Ryota kissed his new wife. The other man refused to look at him, much less talk to him. It hurt. Two days had passed and he felt that his heart had been ripped off his chest. He watched the red head get up, grinning while holding a fragile champagne flute. 'I don't have much to say. Only that everyone should follow Ryota's perseverance. This guy has been in love with Ayako-san for fourteen years. And finally he got her. Through perseverance and…jealousy.' He grinned when Ayako gapped at him. 'Apparently he pretended to be with a blonde with big breasts and that was enough for Aya-chan to attack Ryo-chin.' He wiggled his eyebrows when he said attacked. The guests laughed while Ayako gasped outraged. 'I love you guys. I hope you'll be so very happy. And I want to be the godfather of your first child.' He lifted his glass. 'To love, perseverance and jealously!'

Laughing, the guests repeated what he said.

_How can he be so happy?!_ Rukawa sat silently and alone, watching people dancing and laughing…watching Sakuragi.

'What happened between you two?'

He turned to look at Sendoh and Maki. 'You were also invited?'

'Yeah. So?'

Rukawa turned to look at Sakuragi again. He was laughing and dancing with his daughter. 'We had a fight. He left.'

'I see.'

Rukawa looked at them. 'So you're together?'

'Hum…yes we are.'

'…'

'Rukawa…the two of you looked so happy. I know he's here on vacation but…can't you go to America with him?'

'He invited me to go.'

'Then…what's wrong?'

'I don't want to go. Besides, he also talked to the owner and coach of his team. They want me to play for them.'

'And you don't want to?'

'I don't need favors. And no…I refuse to play in America.'

'Why? You can be with him and playing the game you love. He didn't do you a favor. If you weren't good enough they wouldn't have wanted you.'

'I don't like it there. I refuse to go to America. He could stay in Japan.'

'His contract is for another three years. He can't leave America.'

'Then I guess that's that.'

'Never thought that you would be such a coward. Not liking it there?! What's that?' Sendoh frowned down at him. 'You're letting him go because you don't like it there? You were 17 years old when you went to America! You're a different man now. If you don't try it you're going to lose Sakuragi and your chance at happiness. You think we didn't notice the way you were? You were like a walking suicide attempt waiting to happen!' He grabbed Maki's hand and pulled him. 'Have a nice miserable lonely life Rukawa.'

Maki just looked back at a stunned Rukawa while Sendoh dragged him away. 'What was that? The way you reacted was completely unlike you.'

'He irritated me. He reminds me of you and your cowardness. You needed to be jealous for you to make your move. If Sakuragi hadn't suggested a threesome you wouldn't have done anything.'

'Well…'

'And that idiot is going to let him get away! Just like that.'

'It's his choice Sendoh.'

He shook his head. 'If he doesn't go with Sakuragi he's going to end up dead.' He sighed. 'You've seen him. He never speaks to anyone, he's always alone. That guy has the most miserably lonely life anyone can have…and he's going to throw away his chance at happiness due to cowardness.'

'Still…it's his choice.'

He sighed again. 'Yeah.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

_He's really leaving._ Rukawa watched Sakuragi say goodbye to his friends at the airport, smiling and hugging them. He still refused to look at him, wouldn't even acknowledge him. 'Hanamichi…'

Everyone went quiet while Sakuragi turned to look at him. 'Yeah?'

'I just…'

He shook his head. 'I don't want to speak to you. I'm too mad at you and I'll end up saying something I shouldn't. So… goodbye Rukawa. I really hope you sort yourself out.'

He frowned. 'What does that mean?'

'You've got issues when it comes to America. Sort them out. Maybe then you can move on. But…I won't be waiting for you.' He turned towards the others. 'Well guys, it was really good to see you again.' He kissed Ayako and then Ryota, grinning at each other's outrage. 'Hahahah be happy.'

Rukawa watched him wave his goodbye until he was no longer in sight.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Rukawa awoke gasping. He hugged himself, trembling in fear. Oh gods…again this nightmare. The men…what they had done…He got up running in time to go to the bathroom and vomit in the toilet. He sat in the bathroom whipping his mouth with the back of his hand and cried. Sakuragi had only been gone for five days and he was a mess. Always the nightmares or the erotic dreams. He wanted to go back to not feeling anything. It hurt…this life hurt. He blinked when he realized he had a razor on his hand. When did that happen_?! Is Sendoh right? Am I really thinking about killing myself?_ Was he really that much of a coward? Sakuragi had also gone through a traumatic experience. Didn't he say that he was stripped naked and tied to a post so everyone could see? And he didn't care. He had actually beaten the guys up and carried on. Himself…he had let himself be traumatized by what he suffered and not taken revenge for what they had done to him. Why? He had fought against Hanamichi on equal footing and that guy was a monster. He was one of the toughest guys he had ever met and he hadn't been afraid to fight him. Why hadn't he fought against those that had hurt him? They were wimps when compared to Sakuragi.

He got up and brushed his teeth. Then he looked himself in the mirror. He wanted the redhead. Needed him so badly. He sighed. He was going to America. Sakuragi had to take him back. He had to. He was going to enter that team and even if the red head already had another lover, he was going to get him back. To fail was to die.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Sakuragi blinked when he saw Rukawa walking next to owner and the coach. For a minute he thought that he was having hallucinations. 'Ah Sakuragi! It appears that Rukawa has decided to take a shot and will be joining us.'

'What?!' He gapped at the shorter man, who was beginning to sport a blush.

'Since you guys are friends can you introduce him to the rest of the team? After that we'll do a formal meeting. The press conference announcing him joining the team will be two days hence.'

They waved, leaving them.

'You're joining us? I thought you didn't want to come to America.'

'…'

He felt a smile thug the corners of his lips. He knew that silence. God…how he knew that silence. 'Sorted yourself out?'

'Not yet…going there.'

'I see.'

He hesitated. 'Do you…' He gulped. 'Do you have anyone?'

'What?'

'You said you wouldn't wait so…'

He blinked and this time couldn't stop the smile from breaking. 'I did say that.'

'Hey Sakuragi! Who's the pretty boy?'

He blinked when Rukawa paled and assumed a stiff posture. 'A friend of mine from Japan. He's great. Owner just said that he's going to join us.'

The team approached them. 'For you to say that, he must be really good.'

'He used to be my high school rival. Beat me everytime we played each other.'

They grinned at Rukawa. 'Now that's good to hear. Damn guy is too arrogant. What's your name?'

'Rukawa Kaede.'

'Nice to meet you.'

One of his teammates looked between the two of them. 'Hum…are you two…hum…you know?'

Sakuragi just lifted an eyebrow. 'I do?'

'Oh come on! Are you doing him?'

'Used to. In Japan.' He looked at Rukawa. 'We had a fight.'

Rukawa felt a slight blush creep up his cheeks. 'Do you talk about it to everyone?!'

The team all laughed. 'He's even worse in interviews. Get ready for him to say everything about the two of you to everyone.'

'Yeah. He's the worse. Yew I'm a mess. I'm gonna hit the showers. You guys coming?'

'Yeah yeah.'

He blinked. 'You shower together? But…aren't you uncomfortable with him being…hum…'

'You're also like that.'

'Not until a month ago. He was my first male lover.'

'Another one hum?' They shook their heads at Sakuragi while he blushed. 'You're a menace to straight guys.'

'Hey! He's the one who attacked me!'

'That only makes you worse.'

'Oh shut up!' He hesitated turning towards Rukawa. 'Will you wait for me to finish my shower?'

'…'

'I'll see you in fifteen minutes. We can go together for the meeting.'

'Wow…they even have a silent communication going on.'

'That's it! I'm gonna tell your wife that I caught you looking at my butt!'

He smirked. 'If you do that she's still going to think that it was your fault. I'm the super straight of men.'

Sakuragi laughed and hanging on to each other shoulders they went to the showers.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

'Do you want to come to my apartment?'

They had just finished the meeting and to Rukawa's surprise, he actually liked the team. The men here were so comfortable with Sakuragi and what he was that they didn't care that they had been lovers. The red head just had that charisma about him. He made people like him despite everything. 'Yeah...we need to talk.'

'All right.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Rukawa looked around himself. The apartment wasn't huge, but it was big and lovely. He saw portraits of Sakuragi with several people. Mars, Carol, Josh, the guys from Shohoku and he recognized several of his american teammates on those pictures. He didn't have any paintings in his home. He had pictures of the people he loved. 'This is a lovely home.'

'Thank you. Do you want something to drink?'

'Water please.'

He nodded and after getting him a bottle, they sat on his coach.

'…'

He smiled. 'You're so nervous.'

'I think it's normal to be nervous.' He sighed. 'I need to tell you what happened to me when I came to America.'

'I see…'

'Hum…' He gulped. 'Anzai sensei thought I was too young when I came here. He wanted me to finish high school first and develop more.'

'Yeah…he also told me the same. He said that I should have all my basic training done and be able to score from anywhere on the field. And that I should be able to speak English like a native.' He sighed. 'That was the difficult part.'

'But you followed his advice. I left after we became National Champions on our second year.'

'Yeah…all the advice he'd given me previously had been true so…' He grinned. 'Besides he said that if I stayed in Japan until I graduated high school I would be so good that I would be able to beat you immediately. He said I could also follow your progress on the TV but…you rarely played. You stayed there for 2 years and only played half a dozen times.'

'I was a coward.'

'What?!'

'I didn't go to the team sensei recommended. The one you went to. I went to one that had promised that I would be able to play starting line immediately.'

'Wow really?'

'Yeah. I was that good.'

'Then what went wrong?'

'My teammates.'

He frowned. 'What did they do? What they did to me…it was a newcomer's prank. Although it was a bit too rough…and I got my revenge later.'

'I didn't.'

'What?'

'Four guys from the team grabbed me. Before I could shake them off, they had me handcuffed to a steel pipe. I couldn't escape.' He bowed his head and clasped his hands on top of his legs, gripping hard. 'They stripped me, tearing off my clothes.' Sakuragi blinked. He had a feeling that he wasn't going to like hearing what he was about to say. 'I wasn't tied up naked to a pole so everyone could see. Those guys just took out dildos from a bag and used them on me.'

'What?!' Sakuragi got out from his chair and knelt in front of him.

'They opened my legs and raped me with dildos. No lube no preparation, just like that.' He felt a tear slid down his cheek and quickly rubbed it off. 'It was just before my first game in America. After it was over, I had time to shower and then I had to play. I couldn't. My mind wasn't right and neither was my body. I was subbed six minutes into the game.'

'What…what did the owner or the coach do about what happened to you?'

'I didn't tell anyone. At the time I thought that they were all on it…then I realized that was stupid. You don't hire a new player, pay so much for him, only to hurt him just before his first game.' He shook his head, more tears falling being scrubbed off just has quickly. 'But by then it was already too late. And because of my bad play no one liked me so…I just finished my two year contract and flew back to Japan. Thinking back I'm just grateful that they didn't take pictures of what was done to me.' He continued to scrub his face until Sakuragi lost his patience and pulled him down into his body.

'Cry. Don't hold back.'

'No…don't want to cry.'

He just fitted him on his lap, placing his head underneath his chin and hugging him hard. 'Cry.'

And surrendering Rukawa did. He poured his heart out, into those beloved wide shoulders, in great shuddering cries until he could cry no more and just slept in the red head's arms.

Sakuragi got up with Rukawa in his arms and after carefully stripping him, placed him in his bed and pulled him into his arms again, trying to make him feel safe. 'That was painful.' He sighed. 'Oh Rukawa…'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Rukawa woke up feeling warm. Blinking he realized that he was in someone's arms. He relaxed into the other man's body that he knew so well.

'Don't go back to sleep, fox.'

'…'

'You ok now?'

'When I'm in your arms I'm always ok.'

He blushed. 'Damn! That's just…'

Rukawa lifted his face and smiled lightly at his blush. 'What about you? How are you feeling?'

'I want to kill four guys.'

'Hanamichi…'

'I do…I won't but I do want to hurt them. Badly.'

'You don't think badly of me?'

'What?! What kind of question is that? Of course not!'

'I didn't hurt them back. I was a coward. I turned tail and ran back to Japan.'

'You were alone and traumatized.'

'You fought back.'

'I wasn't raped! Damn it Rukawa. Stop this. Stop with the guilt and fear.' He pulled him tighter against his body. 'Shit! I have no idea what I would have done if such a thing had happened to me.'

'You wouldn't have admitted defeat…and you would be in jail for the murder of 4 men.'

He grinned. 'Probably. But that's just me. I've always been a bad boy, a real delinquent. You're a tough cookie but you weren't constantly fighting like me.' He sighed. 'And you didn't have friends. If I had called Youyei about what happened he and the rest of the gang would have flown here and killed those bastards. And I also had Anzai sensei. Even if I didn't tell owner, he would have.'

'Would you have told them what happened? Wouldn't you feel too humiliated?'

'I'm sorry but…no. I wouldn't. They're my friends. They would be there for me, just like I would be there for them.'

'I see…'

'Sleep Rukawa.'

'…'

'What?'

'Did you mean it?'

'Mean what?'

Rukawa lifted his face, slightly blushed, to look him in the eyes. 'That you loved me.'

Sakuragi just cupped the side of the smaller man's face and like always Rukawa closed his eyes, relaxing against his touch. 'Yes. I love you.'

Rukawa opened intense eyes. '…'

He grinned. 'I'm totally and completely in love with you.'

He could feel a heavy blush covering his face. '…!'

'Crazy. I'm totally crazy and fascinated by you.'

Rukawa hid his face against his neck. 'Oh god…stop.'

He laughed. 'Sleep. We'll talk tomorrow.'

'Ok.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Sakuragi woke up moaning. Gentle hands were caressing his body, lips and tongue immediately following the same path. 'Rukawaaa…'

'Yes?'

He grinned. 'Great way to wake up.'

He smiled lightly. '…' He leaned up to kiss him. 'I love you.'

'I know.' He hesitated. 'So…are you staying?'

'I've entered the team haven't I?'

'But will you live with me? Try to give this relationship a go?'

He settled on top of the other man, cocooned by his thighs, their groins pressing against each other making both moan. 'What about all the other children you want to have?'

He shrugged. 'I'll have them with Carol. Instead of having just two parents, they'll have four.' He looked him in the eyes. 'Are you okay with that?'

'Yes.'

'So…you'll live with me?'

'Yes.' He bit his lip. 'The team won't mind?'

He laughed. 'Naw…although they'll probably tease you unmercifully.'

He lifted an eyebrow. 'I dare them to even to able to get a rise out of me.'

'Hahaha you're right.'

Rukawa leaned down to kiss his neck. 'So…can we get back to how hentai you are?'

He blushed. 'Do you…do you want to take me?'

'What?!'

'Hum…just like you're mine, I thought you would like to make me yours.'

'You are mine. Besides…would you really enjoy that?'

'I…I have no idea but…'

'You wouldn't. But I'll take you anyway.'

He blinked and then stopped thinking when Rukawa kissed him. The smaller man's hands just travelled over his body while his lips attacked his nipples. Suddenly he bit down on one making him arch his back of the bed. 'Wwhat?'

Rukawa chuckled darkly. Erotic knowledge in his eyes. 'You enjoy being bitten. Actually you enjoy rough play but you're always afraid that you'll hurt your partner if you let go.' Slowly he sank his teeth on the other nipple and bit him gradually, increasing the pressure until the red head was moaning and grabbing on to him. 'I'm not a flower Hanamichi. I can take as good as you can give.' He went further down, his hands gripping Sakuragi's thighs, hard enough to leave bruises and then licked him. 'Kaedeeee…'

While he bobbed his head on Sakuragi's length he watched the other man's face. Beautiful. God, he was so very beautiful and dear to him. He could feel him close to the end so he stopped and climbed up his body.

'What…wait! You're not prepared.'

'I took care of that when you were sleeping.'

'But…condoms…'

He shook his head. 'Want to feel you completely in me. No barrier.'

'But…' He screamed as Rukawa descended on him suddenly, impaling himself completely on him. 'Fuck! What do you think you're doing?!'

He grinned. 'Fucking you.'

He blinked. He didn't know what shocked him more, Rukawa grinning or him using crude language. 'I didn't hurt you?'

Rukawa just grabbed his wrists and pressed then near his head and then he moved. Sakuragi opened his mouth to scream but no sound came out. He could only take the pleasure while Rukawa moved on him, fucking himself hard on his cock. Then before coming, he squeezed his inner walls hard and both came screaming.

After several tries, Sakuragi found himself able to speak again. 'Oh god…what was that?!'

'Me taking you. Now you're mine.'

'Hell…no doubts about it.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Owner chuckled has Rukawa dunked the ball just before the whistle, signaling the end of the game, was heard. The new player was even better than he had thought. At first he had just looked into him because of Sakuragi. He was a crucial element to the team. Considered one of the best players playing in America. If not the best. And the publicity and merchandising around him were staggering. So, for some millions he was willing to do whatever was necessary to keep him in his team. Rukawa was a pretty boy, sure to attract women but watching his games he realized he was has big a scoring machine as Sakuragi. Probably more because the other man's true gift were the rebounds. He was uneasy about them being lovers. Distractions during the game were all too possible. But after seeing this game…Sakuragi and Rukawa were a true team. They seemed to know where the other one was on the field. And they played focusing completely on the game. Like the true professionals they were. He grinned and rubbed his hands when the stadium exploded when Sakuragi picked up Rukawa, by hooking his arms underneath his butt and lifting him. And the women went crazy when Rukawa cupped his face in his hands and leaned down kissing him.

'Owner you have a positively evil grin on your face.'

'Everyone is going crazy about those two. Even in these times of crisis I've managed sell all the season tickets. And after this victory…' He chuckled. 'This was the best decision I've ever made.'

'Surprising that the male fans are ok with this.'

'They're following the example of the rest of the team. They accept them. And they already knew of Sakuragi's tastes. They're just rendered speechless by his honesty. And now this with Rukawa. They could have tried to hide it but they didn't. They like that.'

They turned towards the TV where a pretty blonde woman was interviewing the team. Sakuragi was grinning at her. 'I can't talk to a pretty woman like you when I'm all sweaty. Have to take a shower first.'

'Sakuragi…'

He grinned at Rukawa. 'Sorry.'

She just lifted an eyebrow. 'You're going to take a shower? Together?'

'Just the two of us. The rest of the team will take another bathroom.'

'Why?'

Rukawa grumbled. 'He's been seeing the other guys from the team naked for years and nothing. But he gets a hard-on everytime he sees me naked.'

Everyone just gapped at him.

'Hahahah true. He's the sexiest man alive.' He sighed. 'I'm going to have some really though competition with the women here.' He grinned. 'Well, see you soon. We'll be back in 20 minutes for the interview.'

The people surrounding them continued to gap.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

'Do you think this is a Japanese thing? Telling everything to everyone?'

The owner turned towards his secretary. 'Nope. Anzai assured me that most Japanese are very reserved. But these two just don't care about it.' He frowned. 'If you ask me, they were born without those switches.'

'I think they're really lovely together.'

He blinked. 'You swing that way?'

He shrugged. 'For a night. Sakuragi seduced me and I just couldn't say no. Never happened again with him or anyone else. I really don't swing that way but…'

'Hum yes…I've heard that from the rest of the team. It appears he's a menace to straight men.'

He grinned. 'Not anymore. Something tells me that Sakuragi is going to be domesticated.'

'That guy, domesticated?!'

'Hum…you're right.' He frowned. 'And Rukawa seems to be as bad as he is.'

He grinned and rubbed is hands again. 'I'm going to make a fortune with these two.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Sakuragi pressed Rukawa against the tile wall while water continued to rain down of them. 'So I get a hard-on everytime I see you naked?'

He lifted an eyebrow and wrapped his hand around the red head's hard length. 'This proves it doesn't it?'

He grinned. 'Yeah.' He pulled the other man's legs apart and made him wrap them around his hips. His hands went to Rukawa's buttocks, separating them and in a single hard stroke he was fully sheathed inside him. He grinned when the other man screamed his pleasure. 'Hentai.'

'You…you're worse.' He groaned, squeezing his inner muscles making Sakuragi thrust against him. 'Oh gods…you feel so good.'

Sakuragi rested his head on the bend of Rukawa's neck. 'So do you. You're the best.'

He cupped his head on his hands. 'Make me come. Make me come so hard that the others taking the shower next room can hear us.'

His grin nearly split his face. 'Definitely a hentai. I love it.' He gave a long hard trust making him scream. 'You're on Rukawa.'

The End.


End file.
